


Dangan Ronpa: (Éa)Dóchas

by RocGate13



Series: Dangan Ronpa: Hopeful Cry [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Dangan Ronpa & Super Dangan Ronpa 2 Spoilers, Fangan Ronpa, Multi, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2015-07-13
Packaged: 2018-02-22 18:05:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 52
Words: 183,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2516921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RocGate13/pseuds/RocGate13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nathan Murphy, an ordinary teenager, is invited to attend St. Elpis' College, a highly influential and prestigious secondary school. When he arrives, along with fifteen other students, they are all thrust headfirst into a nightmarish situation organised by a psychopathic creature named Monobear. When the only hope of escape involves murdering one of your fellow students, how can anyone help but despair?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Back-to-School Blues - Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at a Dangan Ronpa fic, as well as one of my first fics in general. There will be spoilers for both DR and SDR2, eventually, and the story will link in with the canon towards the end.  
> For the most part, I'll be using the official translation as the basis for this. So expect the word "Ultimate" to be thrown around fairly often. After all, "Super Secondary School-Level" doesn't quite roll off the tongue.  
> I just hope the premise doesn't alienate any non-Irish people who read it.  
> Enjoy!

All ideas, theories and revolutions have to start somewhere. In this case, it all began in a nation far to the east: in Hope’s Peak Academy, Japan. Hope’s Peak was a highly-exclusive institution, officially recognised by the Japanese government, which aspired to gather and cultivate students excelling in their respective fields, be they academic or otherwise. Any student who was accepted into the school was acknowledged as being outstanding in their field. General opinion was that graduating this school led to certain success in life.

The unique methods and goals of Hope’s Peak Academy proved to be extremely influential, and led to a series of imitators across the globe. Britain, the United States, Australia, France, Germany and China, among others, all established their own variations on the tried-and-tested Hope’s Peak formula. Some of these nations succeeded in their endeavours to mimic Hope’s Peak Academy, and thus were able to build a future full of hope for the upcoming generations. One such establishment was St. Elpis’ College in the Republic of Ireland. Constructed at the turn of the millennium, St Elpis’ took advantage of the recent economic boom to further the Irish peoples’ hopes for the future. Although the school’s sphere of influence was relatively small compared to its foreign contemporaries, St. Elpis’ had a profound effect on the success of the Irish nation both at home and abroad. One could certainly claim that the school had succeeded in living up to its Japanese predecessor’s legacy.

To be accepted as a student, there were two qualifications: one must be currently attending a secondary school and one must be the very best in his or her field of expertise.

No ordinary student could enrol there. To be accepted one must first be scouted and then invited by the school itself.

The school followed the same principle as Hope’s Peak by only inducting a class of sixteen students every year to carry on their specialised education. These sixteen students were chosen because they displayed a high level of skill in a certain field of expertise, worthy of the title “Ultimate”. However, in the year 2010, the school decided to celebrate the upcoming tenth anniversary of its establishment by holding a lottery. The names of every student in the Republic went into a draw. The name that was removed from the draw would become one of the school’s students, on the basis of being the “Ultimate Lucky Student”.

Nathan Murphy couldn’t believe his ears when his school’s principal informed him that he would be leaving his home to attend St. Elpis’. He had forgotten entirely about the nationwide draw that had been held the previous week. And what little he had known about the “ultimate school” he had dismissed as legend. To be given the chance to attend was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. He was guaranteed success in whatever he wanted to do with his life.

There was just one problem: he had absolutely no idea what he wanted to do with his life.

Nathan was a rather exceptional student, in that he was completely unexceptional in every way. He achieved fair or average marks in all of his tests, rarely caused trouble for the teachers or his fellow students, and had a handful of friends who didn’t really know all that much about him. They enjoyed his company while he was with them, but could scarcely recall him once he had left. His father was a banker, his mother a primary school teacher. He had one younger brother, one younger sister, a pet hamster and a dog named “Ben”. He had no particular hobbies and made a passable effort at sports. Had he gone on living life the way he had been, he would have never achieved anything worth note. Enrolling into St. Elpis’ was his greatest chance for success, and so he accepted the offer without delay.

St. Elpis’ College was a boarding school in County Kildare, located some distance away from his cosy country home. Everything he would require – such as food, clothing and accommodation – would be supplied for him. As such, he wouldn’t be seeing his family or friends at home for several weeks after the start of the school year. Although he had been starting his second year in secondary school, all students were required to start their school life in St. Elpis’ from first year due to the difference in curriculum from standard secondary schools. Unlike most Irish secondary schools, however, the curriculum in St. Elpis’ was condensed into a three-year course. But the massive advantage one gained in graduating from the school made it superior to any other school in terms of academic success.

At the end of August 2010, Nathan Murphy bade farewell to his parents and siblings and travelled the long journey north to St. Elpis’ campus. On the way up, he used his smartphone to do some research on his fellow students: the so-called ‘Ultimate Students’. As was standard procedure for the school, there were sixteen students – including himself – entering St. Elpis’ that year. Among them was an Ultimate Physicist, an Ultimate Boxer, an Ultimate Dancer and even, to Nathan’s amusement, an Ultimate GAA Head. Although there were only so many of his fellow students with information available on the internet, it was clear that there was a wide variety of talents and skills going into the school. This only increased Nathan’s sense of inadequacy. How could someone like him, who only received his invitation due to having something as vague and intangible as “luck”, fit in with these all-stars?

Nevertheless, Nathan felt his stomach bubble with excitement as the car rolled up to the driveway at the front of the school gates. Nathan stepped out, with his suitcase and bags in hand, before the car drove away again, leaving him all alone. He gazed up at the school in all its majesty. St. Elpis’ College was a towering building, with over four floors in order to accommodate all of its students and staff, as well as hold all of the classrooms and other facilities. Nathan had heard it was modelled after a famous Japanese school, which explained why it looked so different from any building Nathan had ever seen before.

_The moment of truth._

Nathan took a deep breath, held it, then released it, grinning as he did so.

“It all begins today,” he muttered to himself.

He stepped through the gates, striding towards the school’s great entranceway with a feeling of confidence he didn’t know he had possessed. As the college loomed over him, he felt a surge of hope rise up within him. He reached the front door, savouring the beginning of his new school life, before pushing forwards and passing through the doorway.

That was the last thing he remembered.


	2. Prologue: Back-to-School Blues - Part 2

A dull, heavy throbbing sensation in Nathan’s head brought him back from the depths of unconsciousness. Other sensations became clear to him as the seconds ticked agonisingly past, such as the feeling of a cold, flat surface pressed up against his forehead. Nathan opened his eyes a crack and, finding it to be relatively comfortable, sat up.

He was sitting in a small, plastic chair that was pulled up against a wooden desk, which he had been resting his head on. He gave the classroom that he had found himself in a cursory glance. It was drab, ordinary classroom that was filled with desks identical to the one Nathan was sitting at. The blackboard at the front of the classroom was blank, as were the walls and the ceiling. The only things out of the ordinary – the things that drew Nathan’s attention immediately – were the windows. Or rather, the place where the windows _should_ have been. In their stead was a series of massive, hulking iron plates, bolted to the wall. There was no natural sunlight filtering into the classroom; the only illumination was the cold and artificial flickering of the electric lights on the ceiling.

“…Where am I?” Nathan whispered.

There was a clock perched on the wall above the blackboard. Staring closely at its face, Nathan read the time. It was nine o’clock.

Nathan frowned. He had arrived just after eight. There was a school assembly due at half-past eight that all students were required to attend. It featured a speech from the principal of the school, welcoming the newcomers and returning pupils alike.

Nathan groaned. “I must have missed it.”

Typical. So much for being the ‘Ultimate Lucky Student’.

“But what am I doing here?” he wondered. “Did I fall asleep?” And why did his head hurt so intensely? In fact, most of his body was in pain. His limbs and his joints ached, and his legs felt stiff. When he tried to stand up and walk, a wave of dizziness came over him and he felt his body slump. What was going on? The next thing he could recall was a set of footsteps, and then the sensation of being grasped firmly by the shoulders.

“Hey! Are you alright?” A voice called out from nearby. “Hello?”

Nathan opened his eyes once more to see a concerned face appear in front of him. A pair of wide, vivid green eyes stared deeply into his own blue ones.

“Can you hear me?” the person asked.

Nathan nodded shakily, and the person stepped back, relief evident in their body language.

“Thank God,” the person said. “I’m glad I found you. You’re the last one, you know.”

Now that they had stopped invading Nathan’s personal space, he could get a better look at this newcomer. It was a boy who looked slightly older than Nathan. He was moderately tall and had dark, messy hair that fell about his forehead in an unkempt manner. He was dressed in a t-shirt and a pair of casual jeans, with a light hoodie thrown on over the shirt.

The boy stared at Nathan for a brief moment, with a concerned expression on his good-looking face, before asking him again, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Nathan replied as the fog in his head cleared. “Who are you?”

The boy smiled. “I’m Jack. You?”

Nathan didn’t think that the stranger looked like a ‘Jack’, but said, “My name’s Nathan Murphy.”

Jack’s smile widened. “Ah, the Ultimate Lucky Student! I’ve heard about you.”

“Where am I right now?” Nathan asked him.

Jack’s smiled waned slightly as he glanced around the room. “I’m not too sure. Since you’re here, along with the others, I’d say it’s probably St. Elpis’ College. But I don’t know what happened. I doubt that those big plates on the walls were _always_ here.” He turned his gaze back to Nathan once again. “Can you stand?”

He offered his hand, which Nathan took and allowed himself to be pulled up out of the chair. The dizziness had long since faded, but the aches and pains persisted.

“Who are the ‘others’ you were talking about?”

“Oh, right. They’re our classmates, I suppose. They were looking for you, you know. I went off searching the place and found you sitting here.” After an awkward pause, Jack let go of his hand. “I’ll bring you to them. Come on.”

Nathan followed Jack out of the empty classroom and down a long, narrow corridor. His legs and shoulders were still stiff, and he felt uncomfortable just walking. He nearly tripped over his own feet a few times. In the corridor, there were more iron plates bolted to the wall and Nathan even spotted what looked like a CCTV camera mounted on the wall, which only increased his sense of dread. What in the world was going on? How could _this_ dismal place be St. Elpis’? There must be some sort of mistake.

The corridor led out into a wide room with a high ceiling that slanted upwards. The slanted ceiling was covered almost entirely with iron plates. Along either side of the room were wide, open entranceways and doors that led to other parts of the building. On the far side of the room from where Nathan had entered was a massive, steel door that reminded him of the entrance to a bank vault. Huge clamps held the door shut, and another set of cameras were located above the great door, surveying the foyer.

Standing in front of the door was a group of over a dozen teenagers. Nathan counted eight girls and six boys. They were chatting amongst themselves, and every last one had a nervous expression fixed on their face. Several of them jumped when Jack called out, “I found him!”

They all turned to look as Nathan followed Jack into the great room. Some of them smiled weakly, others turned away coldly. But one girl, who was dressed in a school uniform with a green jumper and a grey, business-like skirt, stepped forward and smiled pleasantly.

“Good,” she said, in a loud and clear voice. “Then, we can begin with the introductions.”

“What’s the point?” one of the boys called out.

The girl in the skirt cleared her throat. “It’s _very_ important,” she said. “We are all students of St. Elpis’ College and are therefore going to be sharing most of the same classes for the next three years. It is my belief that we should all start off on the right foot, so to speak. Well?”

There were a few shared glances and mutterings, but no one spoke up. The girl seemed to take this as a sign of unanimous agreement, and she turned to face the gathered teenagers. “Very well, I’ll begin.”

She stood up tall and proud. The girl had a plain face, with dark brown hair and hazel-coloured eyes. Although she was not particularly tall, she carried a strong presence that commanded attention. “My name is Gráinne Mahon, and I am the Ultimate Prefect. I come from County Meath. I have achieved top marks in all of my exams and have won several awards for my strong work ethic and sense of duty. I hope that we will all have a productive and enjoyable school life here at St. Elpis’.”

She beamed at all of the other students, before stepping down, and gesturing to a girl beside her to speak up.

“Me?” the girl pointed to herself, receiving a nod from Gráinne.

The second girl stepped forward. She had soft, blonde hair and a small face with a little nose between her two brown eyes. Despite her dainty face, her figure was anything but. The girl was tall, and her skin was dotted in freckles from having worked outside in the sunshine. She wore tight-fitting jeans that were well-worn and faded, along with a loose t-shirt that bared her muscled arms – as well as her cleavage – for all to see. When she spoke, it was in a rough, accented voice. “Hi! My name’s Ellie O’Donaghue, and I’m representin’ my home county of Mayo as the Ultimate Farmer! Er…I love all kinds of farmin’ and animals. Not that there’ll be much chance of doin’ that here,” she added, a little glumly, before stepping back.

The boy standing next to her practically swaggered forward. It wasn’t hard to guess what his Ultimate Talent was; he was donned in a Kilkenny jersey and a pair of small, white GAA shorts. His hair was long, brown and expertly cared for. He was average-looking, with blue eyes and a slightly crooked nose. It was likely the result of some clash during a hurling match. He only smiled when he was certain that everyone in the room was watching him. “I’m Seán Gleeson, the Ultimate GAA Star,” he proclaimed proudly. “I’ve played hurling for three different county teams, including my own,” he said, as he pointed to his black-and-yellow jersey. “And I’ve played in four Leinster Gaelic Finals.” He went on to describe his various successes in football, hurling and even handball for the next few minutes, until Gráinne stepped in.

“Er, that’s enough!” she said, just as he was about to launch into another story. “Your name, title and where you’re from is all you really need to say for now. Just a quick introduction.” She smiled at him, but he didn’t return the expression. Seán stepped down.

Next up was a small, skinny boy with short, black hair and grey eyes, hidden behind a pair of glasses. He wore a polo shirt and a pair of plain trousers. He wore an expression of deadly seriousness and didn’t make eye-contact with anyone as he spoke. “Alex Coleman, the Ultimate Physicist. I live in Louth, and I’ve worked in some of the most important physics labs around the world, including CERN. That is all.” He stepped backwards as quickly as he could.

The girl who stepped forward next had long, light-brown hair and bright green eyes that matched her blouse. She wore a skirt that showed off her fake-tanned legs. She smiled in an unflattering manner, and spoke in a high-pitched, nasally voice. “ _Dia duit, a dhaoine uaisle_ ,” she said. “Orlagh McNamara _is ainm dom_ _agus is mise an_ Ultimate Gaeilgeoir. _Táim i mo chonaí i gContae Iarmhí. Tá sceitimíní áthas orm a bheith anseo ag an lá stairiúil seo!”_

Nathan blinked. He hadn’t really understood much of what Orlagh had just said. Judging by the confused expressions on some of his classmates’ faces, neither had they.

Gráinne leaned in. “Maybe,” she said, “you should say that all again in English? _As Béarla, le do thoil?_ ”

Orlagh frowned, but obliged the Ultimate Prefect. “Hello, everyone. I’m Orlagh McNamara and I’m the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir, or Irish-speaker. I live in County Westmeath. I’m really excited to be here on this historic day.” She glared at Gráinne. “ _Áthas ort, anois?_ ”

Gráinne, to her credit, simply smiled and nodded.

Next was another girl. She was petite, and had her brown hair tied back in a pony-tail. Her eyes were brilliant green and she had a pretty, round face. She was wearing a pink, sleeveless t-shirt and a small pair of shorts. Her exposed arms and legs were surprisingly taut with muscle, as well as free of blemishes. She smiled pleasantly. “My name’s Aisling Taggart. I’m the Ultimate Boxer, from Co. Clare.” She brushed her hair out of her eyes. “I’m a champion boxer, both at home and abroad. My dream is to one day compete in the Olympics.” She stepped back again.

The next person to step forward and speak was a boy with blue eyes and ginger hair that was cut short. Although he was short, his shoulders were broad and his body was very well-defined. Muscles bulged in his arms and legs, pressing tightly against his vest and shorts. “I’m Aidan Collins, from Waterford. I’m the Ultimate Surfer.” He shrugged. “I suppose people must’ve thought I was fairly good, if I was invited here. I never really tried to, eh, _excel_ , I think. I just love surfin’.” He spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, and shrugged again as he stepped lackadaisically back.

A girl with braided, reddish-brown hair and hazel eyes stepped forward. She wore a loose top and jeggings. She wasn’t quite as slender as some of the other girls, but it didn’t hinder her natural beauty. “Hi, I’m Ciara Maguire from Cork, and I’m the Ultimate Guitarist. I’ve released several EPs over the last few years and have regularly-scheduled gigs around the country. I’d play ye a song, but I’m not sure where I’ve left my guitar.” She frowned slightly as she stepped back.

The boy who stepped up next was tall and slim. He had sandy blond hair, big, blue eyes and a cheerful face, upon which a brilliant smile was fixed. He wore a plain white t-shirt and baggy jeans. He spoke with a slight lilt in his voice. “I’m Michael Reynolds, from Limerick. I’m the Ultimate Veterinary Surgeon, but I _really_ love dogs.” He beamed. “I can treat any canine illness or injury, no matter how big or small. There’s nothing I like more in the world than helping the sick, especially if they’re dogs.”

_That’s very specific,_ Nathan thought to himself, as the next person stepped forward.

It was a girl with shiny, black hair and an even shinier red dress. The dress accentuated the girl’s slender figure, as well as matching her brightly-coloured lipstick. Despite the heavy amounts of makeup, she was quite beautiful, and she spoke with a strong, seductive voice. “My name is Deirdre Callaghan and I’m the Ultimate Soprano, from Tipperary. I am a professional and highly-skilled classical singer and performer, regarded by many as being one of the nation’s most influential and popular artists.” She smiled primly. “But, of course, you knew that already.”

The young man who stepped forward after Deirdre was handsome, in a boyish way. He had a slender face and brown eyes. His hair was black and meticulously gelled into spikes. He wore a tight-fitting shirt and even tighter trousers, complete with leather jacket. He smiled roguishly at some of the other students as he spoke. “I’m Ryan Jackson, from Wicklow, and I’m the Ultimate Dancer. I’ve worked with loads of dance studios around the continent. I can do hip-hop, waltz, swing, anything at all! So just come to me if you’re looking for lessons.” He winked.

If Deirdre had been beautiful, then the girl who stepped up after Ryan was gorgeous. Her slender face was framed by her short, blonde hair, and her two sky-blue eyes were like pools of crystalline water. She wore a purple tube top and a miniskirt that exposed her supple legs. All eyes in the room were on her as she said, “I’m Niamh Clarke, an Ultimate Model from Donegal.” Her voice was surprisingly quiet, and all of the students had to strain to pick up some of her words. “I’ve been featured on a lot of different fashion magazines and I’ve travelled all over the world during my career so far. Eh…that’s all, really,” she added meekly before stepping back.

So transfixed were the students by the model that they didn’t take any notice of the next speaker until he pretended to cough, and loudly. He was well over six feet tall, and one of the broadest men Nathan had ever seen in his life. His hair was short and dark blond, while his eyes were a dull, icy blue colour. He wore a plain t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants that clung to his well-developed legs. He had a deep frown on his face as he spoke. “I’m Fionn Healey, from Galway, and I’m the Ultimate Rugby Star. I’ve, eh, played for each of the four provinces’ rugby teams and I’ve spent my whole life training for the World Cup.” He stepped down faster than Nathan would have believed possible with his bulk.

The girl who followed Fionn had skin, hair and eyes all of a rich, dark brown colour. Her hair was long and wavy. She wore a sophisticated-looking blouse and conservative trousers. There was a pencil stuck behind her ear, and a small notepad sticking out of her breast pocket. She spoke in a slow, clear voice. “My name is Louise Smythe and I’m the Ultimate Journalist, from County Sligo. I’ve written articles for most of the country’s top newspapers and I have a weekly column in the _Irish News_. I have covered several wars, countless football and rugby matches and a handful of horse races.” A small smile played across her lips. “But I’m afraid I’ve never encountered something like this.” She turned to look at the steel door that marked the entrance to the college.

It was Nathan’s turn to speak. He took a deep breath. “I’m Nathan Murphy, from Wexford. And I’m the Ultimate Lucky Student.” He surveyed the crowd of his fellow students. Every one of them was brilliant and talented in their own, unique way. He was the outsider: the odd one out. “I have no particular talents or skills. The only reason I’m even here, I’m sure you all know, is because I won the draw. I’m just a normal fella. That’s all.”

He stopped talking. There was nothing more he could say. The stares of the other students didn’t waver, and so Nathan was compelled to drop his gaze to the floor. But, at that moment, an arm reached around his shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

“My name is Jack,” the owner of the arm said. “I’m from Carlow, and I’m the Ultimate All-Rounder. In other words, I have no particular talents or skills. I’m just a normal fella. That’s all.”

Nathan turned his head to look at Jack. Was he making fun of him? But the Ultimate All-Rounder stared back at him and gave him a wink.

_He’s not making fun of me,_ Nathan realised. _He’s standing by my side, in a gesture of solidarity._

“But, er, Jack?” Gráinne’s voice pierced the silence. “Don’t you have a surname?”

Jack stiffened, and withdrew his arm from around Nathan’s shoulder. “I do. But…I don’t really…” He trailed off uncomfortably.

“Well, I don’t see what the _fadhb_ is,” Orlagh piped up. “We all told you our surnames. I don’t see why you shouldn’t tell us _yours_.”

“He doesn’t _want_ to,” Fionn snapped at the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir. “You don’t have to force him.”

Orlagh huffed, preparing to unleash a fierce tirade on the much taller student, but Jack intervened.

“It’s alright,” he said, raising his hands in surrender. “I suppose it’s not that big of a deal.” He inhaled deeply, before saying, “My second name is ‘Jones’.”

There was a brief silence as the students processed this information, putting two and two together.

“So,” said Ellie, “your name is _Jack Jones_?”

Louise raised an eyebrow. “Like the clothing brand?”

Jack sighed. “Yes. My mam and dad didn’t have much foresight, it seems. It’s kind of embarrassing. So, could youse all just call me ‘Jack’? Please?”

There were nods and mutters in the affirmative from around the room, before Gráinne clapped her hands together and exclaimed, “Right! Now that the introductions are over and done with, we can move to the next few items on the agenda: where are we and how did we get here?”

“Well, this is _definitely_ the front entrance of St. Elpis’,” said Louise. “I came here once to do a report on the school and the vice-principal gave me a tour.” She stared up at the ceiling. “But those iron plates weren’t covering the windows back then.”

Deirdre sniffed. “Obviously.”

“So, then how did we get here?” Ciara asked.

Michael frowned. “The last thing I remember is getting the bus up from Limerick. Today’s the first day of term, isn’t it?”

There was another series of nods from the other students.

“Today is definitely the first of September,” Alex spoke up. “It says so on my watch.”

Aidan folded his arms. “And there’s no chance that your watch can be wrong?”

Alex shook his head. “It gets updated daily by a series of radio signals from an atomic clock I store in my basement,” he said, with a slight note of irritation. “It _can’t_ be wrong.”

Aidan blinked. “R-right…”

“So today _is_ the first day of term,” Aisling said, thinking aloud. “But where are all the other students? And the teachers?” She pointed down the corridor. “I tried checking the front office over there, but there didn’t seem to be anyone around. No secretary or receptionist or anything.” Her voice took on a panicked tone. “What’s going on?”

Ryan stepped smoothly over to the boxer. “Hey, it’s alright. It’s probably just some kind of test for the new students. They want to see how we react in…er, stressful situations.”

Aisling looked up at him. “D’you think so?”

He grinned. “Yeah! Course I do!”

“Or it could be a prank,” Fionn suggested. “The older students might be messin’ around with us on our first day.”

“Do you really think the Ultimate Students would act so immaturely?” Deirdre asked him accusingly.

Jack shrugged. “Who knows? It might make sense for the Ultimate Students to play the Ultimate Practical Joke.”

Nathan decided to voice his concerns. “No, I don’t think that’s right.”

Orlagh frowned at him. “ _Céard?_ What did you just say?”

He cleared his throat and spoke again. “I said, ‘I don’t think that’s right.’ It couldn’t be a test. The school might be well-off, but I don’t think they could afford to fix those iron plates over all the windows just for the new students. And I doubt that any of the other students would go so far as to do that, either. That’s serious damage to school property. They could be expelled.”

The entrance hall fell silent again. Suddenly, no one seemed to be able to look anybody else in the eye.

Nathan glanced over at Jack, who was looking over at him with his eyebrows raised.

“Did I…kill the mood?” Nathan whispered to him.

He smiled wryly, but didn’t respond.

At that moment, the loud speakers throughout the building all went _click_ and a bizarre, shrill voice echoed around the halls of the school.

_“Attention, attention!”_ the voice cried. _“Can you all hear me? Good! Now move your scrawny, little asses down to the auditorium, stat!”_

And just like that, the school fell silent once more. The students all looked at each other in disbelief.

“D-did anyone else just hear that?”

“Who was that?”

“And what kind of a voice was that? My ears are ringing!”

Another _click_. _“What, are you all too stupid to understand plain English? Get over to the auditorium! Read the sign!”_

“What the hell is going on?” someone cried.

“The auditorium is this way,” Gráinne called out, pointing to a sign posted on the wall nearby. The sign directed the students down another corridor, this one much wider than the hallway that had brought Nathan into the entrance hall. As the first-year students of St. Elpis’ College walked nervously into the auditorium, they whispered and asked questions to each other:

Who had spoken over the intercom?

Why had they been called into the auditorium?

And what awaited them there?

The answer was something that none of them had been expecting.

Stood atop the podium at the front of the auditorium was a small teddy bear. The creature looked as though it had been designed by a lunatic: one side of its body was pure white and friendly-looking, while the other side was black and sinister in its appearance. The white side of the bear’s mouth was a small and unassuming snout, but on the other side of the bear’s face was a maw filled with sharpened teeth. One eye was small and beady, the other red and narrowed. The red eye glowed with malice as the students drew near.

“Can someone tell me what the fuck this thing is?” Seán muttered in disbelief. He had wandered over to the podium and was examining the strange bear.

A shrill, familiar voice erupted from the bear. “Well, I’m glad you asked!”

Seán yelped and leaped back as the creature sprung to life. It jumped up and down on the spot, before performing an elegant pirouette and landing with its hands akimbo.

“I am your principal!” the cheerful voice that came from the bear exclaimed in triumph.

“That teddy bear’s alive!” Seán yelled, his voice cracking mid-sentence.

The creature folded its arms and seemed to grow irritated. “I’m not a teddy bear!” it cried. “I am Monobear! Pleased to meetcha!”

It was at that moment that whatever hope Nathan had left inside him at the prospect of beginning his new school life at St. Elpis’ faded away to nothing. In its place, a new feeling arose: one of deep, black despair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GAA = An organisation dedicated to promoting traditional Irish sports, such as hurling, handball and Gaelic football.
> 
> GAA Head = A derogatory term for someone who is obsessed with any of the GAA-related sports.
> 
> Gaeilgeoir = A speaker of the Irish language, Gaeilge.


	3. Prologue: Back-to-School Blues - Part 3

The students in the auditorium had fallen into chaos upon encountering the mysterious, talking bear.

“Jesus Christ!”

“Wh-what the hell?!”

“How is it moving?!” one of the girls shrieked.

“It…it must be some kind of robot!” Louise called. “An…an…”

“Animatronics!” prompted Alex.

“That’s it! It’s just an _animatronic_ made to frighten us,” Louise said as convincingly as she possibly could.

“You’re hurting my feelings,” the bear said as it pouted. “You think I’m some kind of useless, theme park attraction? Like I said, I’m _Monobear_! Not some worthless robot you’d find next to a roller-coaster!” The bear patted its belly fondly. “There’s a control system in here that’d blow your tiny, little minds if you opened me up! And that includes _you_ , too, Mr. Physicist!”

“M-me?!” Alex croaked in surprise.

“That’s right! I know all about you perfect, little, hope-filled geniuses! Well, I’m here to say to you all that it’s time to start your new school life! But it’s not just _any_ school life…” The creature calling itself ‘Monobear’ chuckled. “In order for you to preserve that precious hope you all have…” Monobear stuck one of its paws triumphantly into the air. “You will all live together within these walls! And not just for the remainder of the term. Oh no, no, no. This new lifestyle…will last _forever_! You’ll have to live here until the day you die!” The final word was uttered with unmistakable relish.

“Wh-what?!”

“How…?”

“What do you _mean_ ‘until we die’?!”

The confused and terrified cries of Nathan’s classmates erupted around him.

“Now, now,” Monobear said in a somewhat-gentle voice, “there’s no need to panic. We have quite a large budget. You won’t lack any common conveniences, I can tell you that! You can live here in harmony for the rest of your lives.”

Nathan felt sick. Maybe he had been wrong about how far the other students would go in pulling a practical joke? After all, what else could this nightmare be but some twisted prank?

His fellow pupils had the same idea.

“You must be joking!”

“What’s going on?”

“Is this all part of the test?”

Monobear stamped his feet. “No jokes! No tests! And I _never_ tell a lie! You little brats are going to be cut off from the outside world forever!”

“That’s mad!”

“You can’t keep us here!”

“ _Au contraire_! I most certainly _can_ keep you here, and there’s practically nothing you can do!” With that, the demonic bear burst into a fit of laughter. “Upupupupu! Aaaaaaa-hahahahaha!”

The very sound filled Nathan with a sense of dread. But Jack was on the ball.

“Hold on,” he said. “You said ‘practically’. Does that mean that there’s a way out of this place?”

Monobear’s face fell. “I was just getting to that!” he snapped. “I swear, the youths of today are so hasty. You’re never going to last within these walls without some patience!” He cleared his throat importantly. “Now, as I was about to say, there _is_ in fact a way out of this school: graduation! If you graduate this school, you are allowed to leave.” The bear’s red eye glittered. “In order to graduate, all you have to do is kill.”

Had the students heard Monobear correctly?

“Upupupu! I see you’re a little confused. Allow me to elaborate: the person who kills one of his or her fellow students can leave this place.”

 _The others had been right,_ Nathan thought. _This_ is _a joke._

“Upupu…making you hope-filled students turn on one another…turning hope into despair…” The bear giggled. “It _really_ gets me excited!”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” Fionn bellowed. “You want us to kill each other?! We hardly even _know_ each other!” He paused. “Eh, not that it would make it much better if we _did_ know each other…”

“And the so-called ‘Graduation Rule’ is just one of the rules here in your new home,” Monobear went on. “But, I warn you, if there’s any breaking of the school rules…I’ll see fit that the perpetrator is punished accordingly.” The bear’s voice took on a sinister edge. “You won’t like me if you get on my bad side, you know. You’ll find it can be quite…un _bear_ able.”

“Wait!” Ryan called out to him. “Do you really expect us to stand for this? To kill each other in cold blood?”

“I sure do, pretty boy! That is, unless, you’d rather stay here until you’re pushing up daisies? Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course.”

There was an uncomfortable silence that followed Monobear’s words. Nathan knew that everyone was thinking the same thing: could they be able to kill someone in order to save themselves?

Jack broke the silence. “What’s the catch?”

Monobear tilted his head. “Huh? Catch?”

“You said that all we have to do is kill someone to leave. What’s stopping us from just turning on each other right now?”

A few of the pupils edged away from the Ultimate All-Rounder.

“Ah, well, you see,” Monobear chirped, “there _is_ one more detail I forgot to mention. A student can only graduate if they kill their fellow student and then get away with it. In other words, you can’t let _anybody_ know you were the culprit! But I’ll explain more about that later.”

Monobear clapped his hands together. “Now, if there are no further questions, I can bring an end to this opening ceremony. But first, I have a present for you all!” He gestured to the floor in front of the podium, which opened up and spat out a series of small, blue cards. On closer inspection, they appeared more like tablet computers.

“These are your Student ID Cards! There’s one for each of you, and it’s important that you carry your card around at all times. They’ll allow you access into various parts of the facility, so be sure not to lose yours! You have to turn it on, first, so don’t be shy! Everyone, come and get it!”

The students all shared a brief glance, before stepping forward as one and grabbing the ID cards. There was a small din of beeping sounds as each student turned his or her ID card on. Many of the cards were swapped and passed around until they found their correct owner. Nathan reached down and picked up a card at random, pressing the button on its side. The front of the card instantly lit up and displayed a series of words and images. Nathan saw his name and title flash across the bottom of the screen, along with a portrait of him dressed in a school uniform he didn’t recognise. Underneath the picture was the number thirteen.

He blinked. When had that photo been taken? Nathan didn’t always have the best memory, but he couldn’t recall anything to do with the mysterious photo on his Student ID Card.

There was more information available. He pressed an icon on the screen, and a list of stats appeared. Listed was Nathan’s height, his weight, his blood type, which hand he favoured, and so on.

His thoughts were interrupted when Jack peered over his shoulder, examining the ID card. “Hey, you found yours first try? You really _must_ be the Ultimate Lucky Student!” He held up his own card, which was still turned off. “I got mine on the first try, as well. I’d say we were the only ones.”

Jack’s false cheer didn’t improve Nathan’s mood, but they did distract him from his previous musings.

“You’ll also find a full list of the school rules on your ID cards,” Monobear called out.

Nathan glanced down at his card again, spotting the icon on the screen that said ‘School Rules’. He pressed it, and the interface flashed and changed. The portrait and name disappeared and were replaced by a list of numbered headings.

_1\. The students will live a communal lifestyle inside the school walls. Attempting to leave via any of the exits will not be permitted._  
 _2\. The time between 22:00 and 07:00 is designated as ‘Night Time’. During Night Time there are certain areas that are forbidden to enter, so please take care._  
 _3\. Sleeping is only permitted in the personal rooms prepared for you in the dormitories. Anyone intentionally falling asleep elsewhere during Night Time will be punished._  
 _4\. You may investigate the school as you please. There are minimal restrictions on your actions._  
 _5\. No violence is permitted against the school’s principal, Monobear. Destruction of the security cameras is also forbidden._  
 _6\. A ‘culprit’ who kills a fellow student can graduate the school. However, they must not let any other student know that they are the culprit._  
 _7\. Additional rules may be added at any time if deemed necessary by the principal._

“What in the…?” Gráinne was scanning the words on her screen with barely-disguised fury. “‘ _Additional rules may be added at any time if deemed necessary by the principal_ ’?” she spluttered. “That’s…that’s borderline dictatorship!”

“Nothing ‘borderline’ about it!” Monobear said. “ _I’m_ your principal and what I say goes! And on that bombshell, I’ll be leaving you little dumbasses alone for now. If any of you losers have any questions for me, just call out my name. I’ll appear right away, if I feel like it.” He waved his stubby little arms. “Ta-ta! Enjoy your new life here at Despair College!”

Monobear vaulted backwards off of the podium and was lost from view. After a moment’s hesitation, Seán sprinted over to the podium and examined the area.

“He’s gone,” he pronounced.

But in his place was an atmosphere of despair, Nathan noted. The words of the ‘principal’ had had a profound effect on the students. Once again, no one seemed to be able to look anyone else in the eye.

Jack stepped forward. “I don’t believe there’s any way that…thing can keep us trapped in here for the rest of our lives. We’ll find a way out. I know we will. As long as we have hope, we’ll make it through this nightmare.”

Nathan glanced at him. “Do you think so?”

The Ultimate All-Rounder nodded. “I do.”

But Jack’s sentiments weren’t necessarily shared by his fellow pupils. Although he didn’t want to believe it, Nathan knew that at least one of the people he saw before him would resort to murder in order to escape their confinement. It was visible on their faces, the despair they felt at having been trapped in this hellish place with no way out. Hope had left St. Elpis’ College. In its wake was fear, paranoia, and an overwhelming cloud of despair.

And there was nothing any of them could say or do to dispel it.

 

 

 

** 16 STUDENTS REMAINING: **

Ultimate Soprano – Deirdre Callaghan

Ultimate Model – Niamh Clarke

Ultimate Physicist – Alex Coleman

Ultimate Surfer – Aidan Collins

Ultimate GAA Head – Seán Gleeson

Ultimate Rugby Star – Fionn Healey

Ultimate Dancer – Ryan Jackson

Ultimate All-Rounder – Jack Jones

Ultimate Guitarist – Ciara Maguire

Ultimate Prefect – Gráinne Mahon

Ultimate Gaeilgeoir – Orlagh McNamara

Ultimate Lucky Student – Nathan Murphy

Ultimate Farmer – Ellie O’Donaghue

Ultimate Vet – Michael Reynolds

Ultimate Journalist – Louise Smythe

Ultimate Boxer – Aisling Taggart


	4. Chapter 1: Either/Or - Part 1

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

A grim silence had fallen in the auditorium with the departure of the ‘principal’. Even Jack’s encouraging words had mostly fallen on deaf ears.

“So…what do we do now?” Fionn asked. “Do we just stand here until we drop dead?”

Gráinne’s head snapped up. “You’re right. The both of you. We shouldn’t let Monobear’s words get to us. We have to play with the cards we’re dealt, as they say.” She cleared her throat, letting her voice resound out through the room. “We need a plan of action. First, we’ll need to suss out our new surroundings. We didn’t get a chance to explore the area after we woke up, so now would be a good time to go and investigate.” She looked around at all of the other students. “Sound good?”

There were a few nods. Most stayed looking glumly at the floor.

“Alright. Then everyone should split up into four groups of three and one group of four.” She pointed up at the clock on the auditorium’s back wall. “We’ll meet back here in an hour’s time to compare our findings. Okay? Then, let’s go!”

With much grumbling, the students formed themselves into the groups as ordered by the Ultimate Prefect. Most of them grouped up with whoever was standing next to them. As a result, Nathan ended up with Jack and Gráinne herself. Aidan, Ciara and Orlagh formed another team of three, as did Michael, Ryan and Niamh. Aisling, Alex and Fionn were the final group of three, leaving Seán, Louise, Ellie and Deirdre as the group of four. They all went off out of the auditorium, chatting amongst themselves, leaving the Ultimate Prefect, the Ultimate All-Rounder and the Ultimate Lucky Student alone.

Jack turned to the girl. “So, where do you want to go first?”

She blinked. “You’re asking _me_?”

“You’re the one who’s taking charge,” he pointed out. “I thought you might have some idea of what you wanted to do.”

Gráinne frowned. “Sorry. I’m good at telling other people what they should do, but I’m not so great at deciding what _I_ want to do.” A wry expression crept across her face. “Ironic, isn’t it?”

“Maybe. But it’s understandable. You’re only human. I must say, though, you’re good at working under pressure. I know that a lot of people would panic in these sorts of situations, but you’ve kept a cool head.”

“I could say the same about you, Jack,” Nathan muttered.

Jack turned to face the Ultimate Lucky Student. “D’you think so?”

“Back when everyone was freaking out ‘cos Monobear told us to kill each other, you were the first one to stand back up and tell us not to panic.”

“Oh,” Jack said, with a mild tone of surprise, “I suppose I did. I was just saying whatever popped into my head, really. I improvised.”

Gráinne raised an eyebrow at him. “Is that part of being an Ultimate All-Rounder?”

“Of course. That’s what being an all-rounder is all about.” He grinned.

There was a brief pause, before Nathan said, “But, where are we going to go? We never decided.”

“Well…” Jack eyed him. “I was thinking _you_ should decide.”

“M-me?”

Gráinne smiled and nodded. “Wherever the Lucky Student thinks we should go, we’ll go. At least we’ll have luck on our side!”

Nathan considered telling her that he had never had a drop of good luck in his life. If anything, given that he was here today, his life was riddled with _bad_ luck. He’d never won a coin toss or a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, and God help him if he ever took up gambling. He’d lost five different wallets in the space of six months. His mobile phone, which had been dropped more times than he could count, was now a barely-functioning jumble of wires held together with a series of elastic bands. His dad had once persuaded him to bet on a horse in the Galway Races. The horse broke both its front legs during a jump and had to be put down. The jockey was thrown from the horse’s back during the jump and broke his neck, paralysing him from the waist down. The horse had been the favourite to win that race.

But instead, he just said, “There’s a corridor that goes down past the room where I woke up. I want to see where it leads.”

“Then, off we go,” Jack said cheerily.

They set off, passing through the entrance hall again and strolling down the corridor, past the classroom that Jack had found Nathan in and onwards. Nathan recalled how stiff his body - particular his legs - had been when he staggered out of the classroom earlier. They hadn’t improved immensely since. Walking down the corridor, an unusual feeling arose in the back of his mind.

“This must be the main classroom area of the school.”

“It looks so empty…”

“What d’you think happened to the teachers? And the other students?”

“Who knows?”

His companions’ small talk barely reached him through a haze of static. _What’s going on?_ he wondered. _What is this weird feeling?_

Nathan staggered, prompting Jack to grab hold of his arm.

“Easy, there,” he warned, holding the Lucky Student steady.

“Is everything alright?” Gráinne asked.

Nathan nodded shakily. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just…my body is a bit stiff, that’s all.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. It’s been like that since I woke up. I don’t know why.”

Jack was looking at him curiously. “That so? Now that you mention it, I felt a bit funny after I woke up, as well.”

Nathan scratched the top of his head as he thought. “If the first thing we remember is waking up here, then, chances are, we were probably drugged.”

“I thought so, too,” Jack said.

Gráinne looked between the two of them with a perplexed look on her face. “Are you sure? _I_ didn’t feel any different.”

“The dosage might’ve been different for some of us,” Nathan explained. If my hunch is correct, some of the other lads might be feeling the same as you and me, Jack.”

He nodded. “Like that Aidan chap. Or Fionn.”

“Exactly. They would have needed more of the drug in their system to knock them out.”

“But, who could’ve done it?” Gráinne asked. “Monobear?”

“Or the person who’s controlling him,” said Jack.

“They might not even be acting alone,” Nathan said. “For all we know, there could be a few different people working behind the scenes. For an operation on this scale, I’d bet there’s a group involved.”

Jack and Gráinne stared at him until he dropped his gaze again.

“You’re fairly good at coming up with all these theories, Nate,” Jack said. “Maybe we should start calling you the ‘Ultimate Wannabe Detective’.”

Nathan made a face. “Only when they start calling you the ‘Ultimate Motivational Speaker’.”

Jack laughed, and they all joined in. Nathan was pleased that, even in this dark environment, humour could still be found.

At last, the three of them reached the end of the corridor. The hallway was blocked by a steel shutter, like the type that could be found in the entrance of a closed shop. It reached from the floor to the ceiling and from one wall to the other.

“A dead end?” Gráinne said.

Jack crept up to the shutter and peered through one of the small holes. “No. I can see something on the other side. I think it’s a set of stairs, leading upwards.”

“It probably leads to the upper floors,” Nathan remarked.

“I wonder if we can…?” Jack bent over and grabbed hold of the bottom of the shutter. He struggled and strained for a few moments, before gasping and stepping back. “No good,” he pronounced. “It’s locked down. Shame. I was getting curious.”

“Should we head back?” Nathan asked.

“There’s no point in going back right now,” Jack replied. “There’s still another while before our hour is up.”

Gráinne said, “Let’s have a look through the classrooms we walked past on the way here. We might find something worthwhile.”

“Alright. Let’s do it.”

 

***

 

Aidan yawned. He’d been woken up far too early for his liking this morning. And even when he’d got a chance to have a snooze, he’d been rudely awoken from that, too. The shock and fear he had felt at being trapped in a school with a freaky teddy bear for the rest of his life had soon eclipsed the rest of his emotions, however. But, now that he’d had a chance to calm down, his exhaustion had come flooding back. He was barely listening to what the two girls that had come with him were gossiping about.

“ _A Thiarcais!_ I would’ve never expected this to happen! You don’t think this has anything to do with the cutbacks, do you?”

“Eh, the what?”

“The cutbacks in education _le déanaí_. Maybe this is how the Ministry of Education is implementing their new economic plan? I mean, you don’t _actually_ think that they’ll make us kill each other, _i ndairíre_?”

Orlagh fixed Ciara with a sceptical look that the Ultimate Guitarist wasn’t sure how to respond to. She chose the most non-committal answer she could think of.

“I dunno.” The Ultimate Gaeilgeoir didn’t seem pleased with Ciara’s answer, so she went on. “I don’t think any of the lads would be able to kill somebody, anyway. I know _I_ wouldn’t.”

“This is obviously some kind of test to see who’s capable of being an Ultimate Student or not. If we give in to the temptation and ‘kill’ someone, they’ll throw us out of the place. _Díbirt_ ,” Orlagh said, her voice filled with confidence.

“I…I’m not sure. That Monobear fella seemed a bit scary.”

Orlagh tutted. She couldn’t believe how gullible some of her schoolmates were. It was clearly up to her to educate them. “‘Monobear’ is harmless. He uses all these scary words to try and make us fail the test. But not me! There’s no danger in me falling for one of his tricks! _Ná baol ar sin!_ ”

Orlagh’s words drove straight into Aidan’s skull. He turned to face the taller girl. “D’you _still_ think this is a test?”

Orlagh was taken aback by the quiet boy’s glare. But she held her ground. “I… _ceapaim_ , I do.”

Aidan held eye-contact for a few seconds more, before shaking his head and turning back again. What was the point of trying to argue with a girl this delusional? There was just no convincing some people. Not that he really cared very much what she thought. He yawned again. All he wanted was to find the room that had been set out for him and collapse onto the bed. Maybe he’d take a shower first. A good, long shower. That would be perfect right now. After all, his body still felt weirdly stiff.

Ciara was worried. She was trapped in a freaky school with fifteen people her own age. Although she acted mature, Ciara was still a teenager. She knew how impulsive she could be sometimes. Who was to say that the others students weren’t just as impulsive, if not more? She didn’t want to admit it, but she didn’t trust the other students as much as she claimed. All it would take was a little push to make one of them commit murder. Ciara shivered and wondered where her precious guitar had gone. No matter where in the world she went, the guitar was her home. All she wanted was to feel its steel strings beneath her fingers once again.

Orlagh didn’t like the ginger boy’s attitude. Who was _he_ to say that she was wrong? Didn’t he know who she was? This _had_ to be a test. If it wasn’t, then…what else could it be? But a cold, dangerous feeling at the back of her mind told her that he was right. Her opinions flew in the face of the facts that had been presented to her. The beginnings of fear began to grip Orlagh. All she wanted was to leave this horrible, nasty place and go home.

 

*** 

 

“You’ve tried opening that door four times now,” Fionn said, in a grumbling voice. “Can we not just leave it alone and go somewhere else?”

Aisling grasped the door handle with both hands and tugged with all her might. “I’ve nearly got it, I’m sure! I can open it!”

Alex surveyed the two with a bizarre sense of curiosity. He had never really mixed with anyone his own age before, owing to his intellectual superiority; he had assumed that most of his so-called peers were stubborn and stupid creatures, unable to match an intelligent mind such as his own. He had been right, of course. But he couldn’t help admitting that he found them intriguing. At least they provided adequate entertainment. The tall boy was growing increasingly impatient with the brunette as she struggled to open the door to the secretary’s office, her face becoming steadily more crimson as she strained against the lock.

“Aha!” Aisling cried. “I heard something click!”

“Are you sure it wasn’t all the joints in your hand shattering?” Fionn muttered.

“Just…just give me a few more minutes,” she protested.

“We were _supposed_ to be exploring the school!” Fionn snapped at her. “We’ve been here for the last twenty minutes, trying to open a locked door into an empty office, which is _literally_ ten feet away from the entrance hall we started in.”

Finally, Aisling sighed. “I don’t think it’s going to open.” She slumped against the door that had defeated her so effortlessly. “Well, what do we do now?”

Fionn shrugged. “How should I know?”

The Ultimate Boxer glared at him. “What do you mean, ‘how should I know?’ _You’re_ the one who’s been complaining to me for the last _ages_ about how we should leave the door and go somewhere else. And now you’re telling me you don’t have any ideas?”

Fionn spread his arms wide. “Do I look like an ‘ideas man’ to you?” His eyes fell upon the Ultimate Physicist, who hurriedly looked away, colour rising in his face. Fionn tilted his head. Had the boy been staring?

“What do you think, Alex?” Aisling asked.

Alex was unsure of what to say. They hadn’t paid any attention to him since they started this whole business, and now they were both expecting him to tell them what to do? He decided to start with what he understood best. He looked at his watch.

“Well,” he said, “that Ultimate Prefect girl told us to meet back in the auditorium at eleven o’clock. That leaves us with just under 27.5 minutes until the deadline, or approximately 1650 seconds, to use the preferred unit. I deduce that it would be a rather wasteful endeavour to explore much further than we already have, given our limited window of time.”

Fionn stared at the boy, mouth hanging slightly open. “So…you’re saying we shouldn’t bother searching anywhere else?”

“Perhaps. There seems to be some sort of medical office on the other side of the corridor. I would like to investigate further.”

Aisling leaped to her feet. “Then I know what I should do!” she exclaimed, before whirling around and grasping hold of the door handle again. “You two go on ahead. I’m _sure_ that I can get this open before eleven!”

Fionn groaned. “For fuck’s sake. Come on, Alex. Let’s go.”

 

*** 

 

Michael’s eyes lit up when he saw the sign titled ‘East Wing’. A whole area of the school that they hadn’t seen yet. He barged through the double doors beneath the sign and ran out into another hallway. So eager was he to see everything he could in the hour they had been given that he nearly left his two companions behind.

“Hey, hold on!” Ryan called, hurrying after the Ultimate Vet. He almost tripped over his own feet as he tried to follow. Niamh trailed behind him.

Michael looked back to see the pair of them push open the double doors.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” Ryan asked as they caught up.

“I just want to go exploring,” Michael explained, with a sheepish grin. “Ever since I got the invitation a few months ago, I’ve been waiting for the day when I’d finally get to see the inside of St. Elpis’ College with my own two eyes. I’m just a bit excited.”

Ryan frowned. “Sure, if what that bear said is right, you’ll have the rest of your _life_ to explore this place as much as you want. No need to do it all in the one day, right?”

Michael looked at him quizzically. “You’re not tired, are you? I would’ve thought that the Ultimate Dancer would have more stamina.”

Ryan grumbled. He didn’t want to admit it, but he _was_ a bit worn-out. His legs were aching, and they had been since he woke up. It had had an effect on his pursuit of the Ultimate Vet. “I’m just worried about poor Niamh, here. She might not be able to keep up with two strapping, young lads like ourselves.”

The Ultimate Model flushed slightly as the two boys turned to look at her. “There’s no need to worry about _me_. After all, Ryan’s the one who keeps wincing every time he runs.”

Michael burst out laughing as Ryan glowered. The dancer tried to draw attention away from his embarrassment. “What’re those, over there?” he asked, pointing down a perpendicular corridor to the one they were currently in. There were doors lined up on either side of the hallway, each with a shiny, bronze plate on its surface.

The trio went over to investigate. Michael stepped in front of the closest door and read from the writing on the plate.

“‘Room No. 1.’ That’s all it says.”

“Number two is over here,” Ryan said from behind Michael.

Each door along the corridor had a number inscribed on it. “What do they mean?” Niamh wondered.

Having a stroke of inspiration, Ryan pulled out his Student ID Card, switching it on. His name, title and portrait appeared on the screen. Beneath the portrait was the number five. He strolled over to the door with his number on it. Next to the doorbell was the door’s handle, and underneath the handle was a small, horizontal slot, similar to the kind seen on the doors of hotel rooms. He slid his card into the slot. Upon doing so, there was a _click_ as the door unlocked and swung open.

“I think I’ve found my room,” Ryan said, as he prepared to enter.

Michael reached out and grabbed hold of the dancer’s arm. “Wait. We’ll be sortin’ out the dormitories later. For now, let’s look around the rest of the wing.”

“But…” Ryan had a pained expression on his face as he looked longingly into his bedroom.

“Please?” Niamh said.

Ryan slammed the door shut. “Well, if you insist.”

 

***

 

There turned out to be very little of interest in the classrooms along the corridor, and so Gráinne, Jack and Nathan returned to the auditorium with a few minutes to spare. To their surprise, they found three people already there, waiting for them: the Ultimate Boxer, Physicist and Rugby Star.

“What are youse doing here so early?” Jack asked them.

Fionn had a grumpy expression frozen on his face. “One of us – I won’t say who – thought it would be a great idea to try and break into the front office. It took nearly half an hour before we convinced her it couldn’t be done. We decided then that it wasn’t worth going any further, so we came back here after having a look through the medical office across the corridor.”

Ailsing pouted. “I was just _curious_. I wanted to see what was inside the office. There could be important clues in there. Like who locked us up here, and why.”

“Then you can bet that Monobear won’t be letting us in there any time soon,” Jack commented.

“What was in the medical office?” Gráinne asked.

“Just some medicine cabinets, a stretcher, that sort of thing,” Fionn replied.

“There was a series of medicine balls and other physiotherapy-related objects, as well,” Alex said.

“Oh, right,” Fionn muttered. “I’d forgotten about those.”

One group at a time, the remaining students trickled back into the auditorium. The last group to arrive was Michael’s. The Ultimate Vet practically sprinted into the great chamber, shouting, “You won’t _believe_ what we found!”

Gráinne interrupted him before he could get too excited. “Calm down, Michael. We’re all going to sit down and discuss our findings, one at a time.” She spread her arms wide, looking around at the gathered students. “Is that alright?”

As usual, no one had the heart to raise an objection, so Gráinne continued on. “Jack, Nathan and I went exploring the western area of the school.” She gestured to the Ultimate Lucky Student. “Go on, Nathan. Tell them what we found.”

Nathan practically jumped. “Me?” Now all eyes in the room were on him again. He swallowed. “Er, well, we found a lot of empty classrooms. They were all mostly tidy and ordered: there wasn’t any sign of a struggle. So the missing students weren’t dragged out of the classrooms by force, or anything. Oh, and we found a blocked-off corridor.”

“There was a staircase on the other side of the barricade,” Jack took up the explanation. “We reckon it leads to the upper floors, as does the staircase by the entrance.”

Gráinne smiled, pleased that she had chosen two competent teammates. “Now then, will Orlagh’s group make their report, please?”

Orlagh simpered gratefully at the prefect. “ _Go raibh maith agat, a Ghráinne_. _Chuaigh muid…_ that is to say, we went north and found a set of toilets, as well as an indoor soccer pitch and hurling alley.”

Seán punched the air in delight as the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir sank back down into one of the auditorium’s seats.

“Louise’s group?”

The Ultimate Journalist stood up and smiled. “Good morning. We also went north and into this massive room, full of stacked shelves and a ton of different objects. We were about to investigate further, but that freakish bear appeared and chased us out. He locked the door behind us.” She raised the pencil she was holding, putting it up against her lips and said, “That’s all we were able to discover.”

“Alright. And now, Michael’s group?”

The vet leaped to his feet. “The three of us went to the eastern part of the school, and there’s a whole extra wing of the building there. We found the dormitories, a lounge area and, most importantly, the refectory!”

“What the hell is a ‘refectory’?” Seán interrupted him to ask.

“It’s a dining hall. That’s where we can get food and stuff.”

“Great. Can we go there, then?”

Gráinne scowled. “Don’t interrupt him, Seán. Sorry, you were saying, Michael?”

“Well, there’s a storage area just past the refectory. It acts as a freezer so the food can be kept fresh. Eh, that’s all.”

Gráinne smiled and nodded. “Excellent. Great work, everyone. We’ve now mapped out the ground floor of the school quite diligently. ‘Knowledge is power,’ as they say.”

Ciara frowned. “But, I’m a bit curious about that big room that Louise and the others found. The one that Monobear locked. What was in there?”

Louise was delighted to be given a chance to explain. She took out her notepad and examined something she had written in there previously, concerning the now-locked room. “This is just speculation on my part, but I think that large room was some kind of warehouse.”

Fionn was bemused. “Why the hell would there be a warehouse in a _school_?”

Louise nodded, as though agreeing with the Ultimate Rugby Star’s outburst. “I had thought the same thing.”

Deirdre piped up. “Monobear told us we won’t lack any necessities during our time here, which means that he must be storing food, drink and other amenities somewhere in the building, where he has easy access to it.”

Michael gasped. “Oh! The storage room and refectory are both on the north end of the building, just like that warehouse!”

Ryan said, “So they’re probably connected. That makes sense.”

Louise flicked through her notepad before saying, “Sorry, but I forgot to mention one more thing. There was a set of big, locked doors next to the football pitch. There were windows on the doors, so we had a peek inside.”

“And?” Ciara asked. “What was in there?”

The Ultimate Journalist closed the notepad. “The lights were off. We couldn’t see anything.”

“Oh.”

Gráinne stood up again, glancing at each of her fellow pupils in turn. “Well, if everyone has said their piece, I think we’ll bring an end to this meeting. I imagine you’re all feeling a bit peckish, so let’s all go to the refectory for breakfast! Come on, everyone!”

The students didn’t need to be told twice. Some of them had gotten up and started leaving before Gráinne had finished speaking. The auditorium cleared out quickly, once again leaving the prefect with Jack and Nathan. She sighed.

Jack gave her a curious look. “Alright?”

She nodded wearily. “I’m fine. It’s not easy, taking charge at a time like this.”

Jack walked over to her. “Hey, if anyone can do this, _you_ can. You’re the Ultimate Prefect, after all.”

She looked up at him and smiled slightly. “You’re…you’re right. I shouldn’t give up so easily. Thanks again, Jack.”

She took a quick glance around the room, but Nathan had tactfully taken an interest in some intriguing designs on the ceiling. Gráinne leaned in and gave Jack a quick peck on the cheek, before turning on her heel and following the other students out of the auditorium.

Jack’s happy thoughts were interrupted by an elbow nudging him in the side. “What was that about being the Ultimate Motivational Speaker, eh?”

Jack gave Nathan a playful shove as they left the auditorium together.


	5. Chapter 1: Either/Or - Part 2

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

The remainder of the first day in St. Elpis’ College passed rather more quickly than Nathan would have expected. After eating together in the refectory, most of the students spent the rest of the afternoon chatting amongst themselves. The sense of despair had dimmed somewhat, and the pupils nearly forgot about their predicament entirely. Shortly before six o’clock that evening, Gráinne went around the halls, bringing the message to the other students to eat dinner together in the refectory. Once everyone had gathered, Gráinne stood up at the head of the table.

“Now that you’re all here again,” she began, “we need to discuss some issues concerning our future daily activities in this school.”

“I--oos?” Fionn repeated, through a mouthful of mashed potato.

Orlagh cringed. “ _Déistineach!_ You shouldn’t speak with your mouth full.”

“Gho f—ck yo—elf!” he retorted.

Gráinne tried again. “Excuse me…”

“Could someone please pass the salt?”

“Get it yourself! Can’t you reach?”

“If you could just listen…?” The prefect’s pleas went unheeded.

Ciara was engrossed in gently strumming her guitar, which she had been delighted to find up in her room. The two hadn’t been separated since.

Aidan had taken a moment to rest his head on the table, only to fall fast asleep a few minutes later.

Seán was telling anyone who would listen about his most famous goals in All-Ireland Finals.

Deirdre abruptly stood up and began belting out a lyric, “ _Caaaaroooo mio beeeeeen, creeeediiiiimi almeeeeeeeen…_ ”

Jack had had enough, slamming his hands down on the table. “Shut up!” he yelled, loud enough to be heard over the din. The room was immediately silenced.

Even Gráinne was taken aback, but she was grateful for the assistance. “Thank you, Jack.” She cleared her throat. “I’ve received a handful of recommendations from some of you, concerning a particular issue. It is my belief that this idea will bring us together and establish a bond of trust, if you will.”

Seán snorted. “ _Trust?_ How can any of us trust each other? There’s barely anythin’ stopping us from killin’ each other right now!”

Deirdre sniffed. “I’m afraid I agree with the boor. There is no benefit in forging these ‘bonds of trust’ with anybody.”

Ellie nodded in agreement. “How’d you know that your closest friend isn’t just waitin’ for a chance to stab you in the back?”

Seán grinned, lacing his fingers behind his head. “Too fuckin’ right.”

The atmosphere around the table grew tense.

“Stop,” Jack growled. “Don’t talk like that. We’re going to get through this. No one has to die. Stop encouraging them.”

Deirdre laughed. “Whatever do you mean? I’m merely speaking the truth, as I see it.”

The Ultimate GAA Head shrugged. “It’s just common sense, like. How do I know any of you won’t kill me if you get the chance?”

“That’s _why_ we have to trust each other,” Aisling said, speaking up for the now-silent prefect. “If we don’t, then we’ll be weakened by fear!

“United we stand, divided we fall,” Alex muttered, barely loud enough for anyone else to hear. Or so he hoped.

“Damn right!” Fionn said, banging his fist on the table.

A brief silence fell. Seán shook his head in exasperation and decided to stare at the ceiling, excluding himself from any further discussion. Ellie looked as though  she regretted what she had said. The Ultimate Soprano simply regarded the other students coolly.

“Th-the item on the agenda,” Gráinne said, “concerns this very room. I, and several of my peers, think it would be prudent if we all share some of our meals together. Specifically, breakfast and dinner. It’s a good way to promote communication and…er, yes. That’s it.”

Nathan knew the prefect was neglecting to mention another reason why sharing meals was convenient. If all of the students met in the refectory at the designated time, and yet someone was missing, they could determine quickly who had been murdered. Looking around the table, Nathan knew that several other students had come to the same realisation.

“No objections? Should we set a fixed time for our meals? I think breakfast should be held at half-past seven in the morning, just after Night Time ends. Is that agreeable?”

There were mutterings of assent. Aidan frowned, but didn’t speak up.

“Good. And what about dinner?”

Alex checked his reliable watch. “It’s just gone six o’clock. Perhaps that would be an adequate time for dinner to be held at from now on?”

Gráinne smiled pleasantly. “An excellent suggestion, Alex. Does six o’clock suit everyone? Then we’re in agreement once again.” She sighed happily. “That’s all I have to say. Thank you all so much for your patience and cooperation.” The Ultimate Prefect sat back down again, signalling everyone to resume eating.

But Seán’s stomach had been turned by all this goody two-shoes nonsense. He dragged his chair back noisily. “Fuck this,” he declared, before getting up and sauntering off to the hurling alley.

Ellie had cleaned her plate. She saw no point in lingering around, so she got up and followed Seán out of the refectory.

Deirdre placed down her cutlery with a gentle clatter, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin. “I’m afraid I must also depart. It’s not that I wish to leave you all, I just don’t want to stay.” She tittered at her own joke. “I bid you all a good evening,” she said as she left the table, before breaking out into song once more. _“Tiiiime tooooooo saaay goooooodbyyyyyyyeeee…”_ The warbling falsetto eventually faded from the students’ ears.

Conversation resumed after the Ultimate GAA Head, Farmer and Soprano had exited the refectory.

Jack was scowling at his chips. “I can’t believe them,” he said, through gritted teeth. “How could they talk like that? We’re supposed to be in this together. But they just want us to tear each other apart.”

Nathan toyed with one of his rashers absent-mindedly. “There’s nothing wrong about being a cynic. Not inherently.”

Jack glanced at the Ultimate Lucky Student out of the corner of his eye. “They didn’t get to you, too, did they?”

“N-not at all. Just playing devil’s advocate.”

“Well, you’re too bloody good at it for my liking,” Jack grunted.

Aisling was sitting across from the Ultimate All-Rounder, and she noticed his irritable expression. “Cheer up, Jack,” she said. “The killjoys are gone, now. Don’t take your anger out on your dinner.”

He couldn’t help but crack a smile.

 

*** 

 

After dinner, the evening passed uneventfully. Nathan returned to his room shortly before Night Time began. He lay down on his bed and began contemplating the mess he was in. Less than twenty-four hours ago, he was lying in his old bed, back in Wexford, and eagerly anticipating his arrival at the school. But said arrival had gone horribly, horribly wrong somewhere. And now, he was trapped in a situation like none that he could have imagined: a nightmarish prison, in which the only escape was to murder your fellow pupil and get away with it. How could hope survive in a place like this? How could-

A cheerful ringing sound erupted from the loudspeaker that had been mounted on the wall of Nathan’s room, followed by a familiar voice.

_“Greetings, dearest students. It is now ten o’clock. Night Time has officially begun. The refectory is now locked and off-limits to all students. Thank you, and good night!”_

Nathan groaned. He’d nearly forgotten just how shrill and piercing Monobear’s childish voice could be. Since it was Night Time now, he wasn’t allowed to leave his room. That was the agreement, after all. He let out a yawn. There was nothing else to do but sleep.

Nathan didn’t realise just how drained he was until he pulled the covers over himself and let his head hit the pillow. Sleep came to him easily. But his dreams were filled with maniacal, black-and-white teddy bears with sharpened teeth. Not even sleep could halt the advancing sense of despair.

 

***

 

_“Good morning, you pathetic brats! It’s seven o’clock. That means it’s time to wake up and seize the day!”_

Nathan blinked his eyes open, having been awoken from his slumber by Monobear’s morning message. He swung his body out of the bed and stretched, feeling the stiffness in his legs and shoulders. He frowned. He would have thought the drug would be out of his system at this point. That was what was causing the stiffness, wasn’t it?

He stripped off what little clothing he had been wearing and stumbled over to the bathroom. He hadn’t been inside his own, personal _en suite_ yet, but there hadn’t been anything in particular to look forward to. The only things inside were a toilet, a sink and a shower, as well as a small mirror above the sink. What was the point, Nathan wondered, of having a tiny mirror in the bathroom when there was a full-length one in his bedroom?

 _Whatever_ , he thought, as he turned on the shower.

By the time Nathan was sorted out and ready to go, it was already twenty-five minutes past seven. He had found a fresh change of clothes in the dresser, and he tossed his dirty clothes into a laundry basket that had been left near the door. The laundry – a sign on the wall helpfully informed him – would be collected up from each room every two days, before being delivered back into the students’ respective dressers. Nathan supposed that was kind enough of Monobear, or whoever he really was.

He entered the refectory just before the clock struck half-past seven. Inside, already eating, were Gráinne, Orlagh, Michael and Aisling. As he entered, the Ultimate Prefect stood up and shouted, “Good morning, Nathan!” Nathan nodded his acknowledgement of her greeting, before sitting himself down and pouring a bowl of cereal.

“Did you sleep well, Nathan?” Michael asked.

“Uh, yeah. I did. You?”

“Like a log!” the Ultimate Vet proclaimed, just as another student wandered through the door.

“Good morning, Louise!”

“Y-yeah. Cheers.”

Gráinne went on to salute every student that walked into the refectory in a similar way. Nathan was still tired, and the prefect’s voice began to grate.

“Good morning, Orlagh!”

“Good morning, Ryan!”

“Good morning, Alex!”

“Oh, good morning, Jack!”

The Ultimate All-Rounder was the only person who seemed happy to hear Gráinne’s greeting. He grinned as he sat down beside Nathan, clapping him on the back.

“How’s my favourite Lucky Student?” he asked brightly.

“…Never better.”

“Glad to hear it,” he said, and he began tucking into an omelette.

One by one, the rest of the students trickled back into the refectory. Even Aidan, the sleepiest of the lot, eventually made his way in, only to once again rest his head on the table and have a snooze.

Gráinne stood up at her seat, in order to better survey her peers. “I’m glad to see you’re all looking so bright and cheerful this morning!”

The students regarded her through heavy-lidded eyes. Either Gráinne was extremely unperceptive or this was her strange idea of a joke.

“Since we’re all still getting used to our new life, here at St. Elpis’, I want you all to relax today. Have a look around the school, talk to your fellow students. Just don’t forget to meet back here at the appointed time for dinner!” And with that, she sat back down. Normal conversation resumed in her wake.

 

*** 

 

Seán set off, after he had eaten his fill at breakfast. He went back to his room to quickly grab his hurl, before heading off to the hurling alley. He entered the dark, grey complex and immediately snatched one of the sliotars from a rack near the door. He jogged out into the centre of the alley, before tossing the small ball up into the air. His eyes effortlessly tracked its descent as he brought his hurl up, bringing it around his back and then swinging it forward. The boss of the hurl struck the sliotar with a resounding _clack_ and the ball went soaring through the cold air, towards the hulking grey wall in front of Seán. The sliotar hit the wall and rebounded back towards the GAA Head, who struck it again with perfect timing. Once he had the rhythm, he let his mind wander.

This whole idea was ridiculous. Being trapped in a school run by a talking teddy bear, being forced to turn on and murder each other to survive. And, what’s more, he would have to put up with it for the rest of his life, however long that may be.

Seán glowered. It might not even be so bad if the other students weren’t all such dry shites. None of the lads were any _craic_ at all. Although, he supposed, some of the girls weren’t too bad. There were worse-looking ones he could’ve been stuck with for the rest of his days. And he _was_ the Ultimate GAA Star, after all. What girl wouldn’t want him?

Seán’s thoughts grew increasingly more lewd, distracting him from his task. He struck the sliotar with more force than he should have, and it soared over his head after rebounded. He cursed aloud, before turning around to grab the ball again. Only someone else had already caught it.

Aidan Collins was standing in the doorway, holding the sliotar between his fingers. He was staring impassively at the small ball, but his eyes slid over to the approaching hurler. His wordlessly tossed the sliotar to Seán, who accepted it with a grudging, “Cheers,” before turning back around to face the wall.

But, at that moment, a thought occurred to him. “You don’t want a go, do you?” he asked Aidan.

But the surfer shook his head. “No, you’re grand. I’m not much of an Ultimate GAA Head, you know.”

Seán scowled. “That’s Ultimate GAA _Star_!” he corrected him.

A frown appeared on Aidan’s face. “Really? That’s not what the website said.”

“I don’t care!” Seán walloped the ball as hard as he could at the far-away wall. “Why are you even here?” he snapped. “What do you want?”

“I wanted to see you in action,” Aidan replied. “See if you’re as good as they say.”

Seán hit the ball back again. “And?”

“You’re definitely…driven.”

“Of _course_ I’m driven! I _have_ to be! How could I become the Ultimate GAA Star if I wasn’t better than everyone else?!”

“I wouldn’t say _I_ was driven,” Aidan muttered. “But they still call me the Ultimate Surfer. I don’t try to be better than everyone else. I just love to surf.”

Seán caught the ball and held it, his fingers tightening around it. The surfer’s talk was riling him up, igniting his anger. “Then what the fuck do you know about _anything_?” he hissed. “Some of us had to work hard to get where we are right now, you know. And then some wanker like you just wanders in here and goes on about how ‘naturally gifted’ he is.” In his rage, Seán threw the ball with all his strength at the far wall. It hit the grey slab of concrete with a thud, before dropping down to the floor again. He slung his hurl over his shoulder and walked out of the alley, muttering, “Go fuck yourself,” to Aidan as he passed.

Aidan, for his part, was very confused. _What’s his problem?_ he wondered, after the Ultimate GAA Head had left. _Did I say something wrong?_

He spied the sliotar on the floor some distance away, still gently rolling away from the wall. He took hold of one of the spare hurls from the rack and marched over to the ball. He tossed it into the air, swung the hurl and missed.

 

*** 

 

Ellie decided to take another stroll around the school after eating breakfast. She was finding herself becoming increasingly bored with life in the school. She had only been in here a day and yet she was already running out of ways to keep herself occupied. Back home, if she ever got bored during the day, she’d just go out for a walk around the farm, taking in the fresh air. But there wasn’t any fresh air in St. Elpis’. Not anymore.

As she was thinking, she lost track of where she was going. As a result, she walked straight into someone tall who had been standing in the middle of the hall. She stumbled, but felt a hand wrap firmly around her arm and haul her up until she was standing on her feet again.

“Are y’alright?” Michael asked her.

She blinked. “Ah, yeah. I’m grand, I’m grand.”

He smiled warmly. “That’s good. Good to hear.”

Ellie smiled back. She hadn’t realised it before, but the vet was fairly good-looking. He had a nice smile, his hands were big, but soft, and his skin was smooth.

She stepped closer. “You shouldn’t be standin’ out by yourself in the middle of the hall. Who knows who might bump into ya?”

Michael chuckled. “Sorry. I wasn’t thinkin’, really.”

Ellie crept even closer. “Maybe you and me should go somewhere else? Just the pair of us?”

“Where would we go?” Michael tilted his head. “D’you have somewhere in mind?”

Ellie inched forwards until she could feel his breath fluttering against her lips. She leaned in and pressed her mouth up against his. Michael froze, unable to react until the farmer girl had broken apart from him with a coquettish smile on her face.

“My room,” she answered. “In about ten minutes.”

Michael blinked rapidly. “I…I…” He had never been propositioned by a girl like this before. “We…maybe some other time?” he squeaked.

Ellie frowned. She hadn’t been expecting this. “What?”

“I-I mean…we hardly know each other.” The young vet’s face was burning.

Ellie leaned in again and whispered, “That’s what we’re doin’ right now. We’re _gettin’ to know_ each other.” She tried to make the words sound as seductive as she possibly could, but to no effect.

Michael shook his head. “I…I…no. Maybe some other time. I’m sorry.” He quickly turned away and practically sprinted down of the corridor.

Ellie sighed. Rejection hurt, even for a girl as experienced as her. _Oh well,_ she thought, _Mick’s not the only handsome fella in this place._ She’d find another.

 

*** 

 

Ryan braced himself for another impact. He held the cushion out in front of him, as far away from his face and body as he could. The girl’s fist struck the centre of the cushion, causing him to nearly bite down on his cheek as the force of the blow passed through him.

“You couldn’t have gotten anyone else to help you train?” he asked her.

Aisling brushed her fringe out of her eyes as she prepared for another punch. “You’re a strong lad. You can take a few hits.” She lashed out again, and Ryan caught her fist with the cushion.

“You _say_ that, but think about it for a moment; I’m the Ultimate _Dancer_ ,” he stressed, “not the Ultimate Punching Bag. I’m not used to being knocked around the place like this.”

Aisling rolled her eyes. “Aidan would fall asleep or get bored before I could finish. Fionn would complain _twice_ as much as you do. And Seán’s a dickhead. You’re the best option.” She sent out a flurry of punches, each one finding its mark.

Ryan staggered backwards. “What about Jack? Maybe being an Ultimate All-Rounder covers being an Ultimate Target-for-Practise?”

Aisling paused. “You know, I never even thought of that.” She struck the pillow extra-hard for good measure.

“Agh!” Ryan cried. “You did that on purpose!”

Aisling tutted. “Don’t be such a baby. We’re finished now, anyway.” She bounced back a few steps, before letting her hands drop. She shook her arms out, loosening up the joints.

Ryan tossed the battered pillow onto the couch they had removed it from, before sinking down into a nearby armchair. “You’re a hard worker,” he commented.

Aisling was now stretching her quads. “Just because I’m trapped in this place doesn’t mean I can’t still train hard. It’s all about willpower. Don’t you train, as well? I mean, dancing can’t be that much different from boxing.”

He looked at her quizzically. “Dancing isn’t a sport. Unless it’s on ice, I suppose.”

Aisling removed one of her gloves just to wag a finger at him. “Anything can be a sport if you want it to be.”

Ryan groaned as he lay back in the chair. “What a world _that_ would be,” he muttered drily.

Sufficiently warmed-down, Aisling sat on a couch opposite to Ryan. “Tell me about the dancing you do, so. I’m curious.”

Ryan sat up, delighted to have an opportunity to explain. “Well, there’re lots of different kinds of dances. Even an Ultimate Dancer like myself hasn’t mastered them all. There’s tap dancing, ballroom dancing, disco style, krumping, ballet, breakdancing, tango, slow dancing, swing, pole dancing, line dancing…”

Aisling choked. “Did you say ‘ _pole_ dancing’?”

Ryan nodded. “It’s good exercise. Aerobics and all that.” He made a face. “Mind you, not _everyone_ sees it that way.”

“I can imagine.” Aisling looked admiringly at the boy. “And you can do _all_ of those?”

Ryan grinned. “That, and _more_. I’m the Ultimate Dancer for a reason, you know.”

Aisling looked furtively around the lounge, but no one else was around. She leaned in and muttered, “Do you think you could teach me some of those?”

Ryan blinked, before his face broke out into a pleased smile. “I’d love to.”

“When should we start?” she asked. “I don’t really want anyone else to know.”

“You sure?” She nodded, prompting Ryan to say, “Alright. How about this evening, after dinner? We could head over to my room.”

Aisling nodded again. “That sounds good. Thanks, Ryan.”

A sly expression crept across the dancer’s face, which Aisling decided to put a stop to. “This doesn’t mean that you’re in there,” she warned.

Ryan slumped. “Right,” he said dejectedly. “Of course.”

 

*** 

 

Jack wandered into the refectory at six o’clock, well before the appointed time. He’d wanted to get started on cooking his own meal, but he found someone else waiting in the room.

Gráinne was standing in the kitchen area of the refectory, busying herself with cooking dinner. Jack smiled. He’d been spending a lot of time with the Ultimate Prefect since they had arrived in the school, and he’d found himself growing steadily closer to her. Even though he’d only known her for a few days, he’d felt a unique connection with her. And he knew she felt the same way about him.

Gráinne didn’t notice as the Ultimate All-Rounder sneaked up behind her. Her terrified shriek as he grabbed her from behind turned into a delighted giggle as he picked her up and spun her around.

“Did I scare you?” he whispered into her ear.

She smiled. “For a moment.” He loosened his grip on her, allowing her to turn around and face him. “I thought you might be an axe-murderer, come to get me,” she joked.

Jack’s arms were still wrapped around her waist. “Well, don’t worry. If an axe-murderer _does_ come along, I’ll protect you with my deadly all-rounder talents.”

She shook her head, never breaking eye-contact. “You’re such a weirdo,” she muttered, leaning in and giving him a gentle kiss on the mouth, which he returned.

Gráinne asked, “Will you help me with the dinner?”

Jack pressed his forehead up against hers. “Can’t we just stay like this, instead?”

She smiled as she pushed him away. “Not a chance. I’m making dinner for the others, so you can either help me or get out of my way.”

Jack grumbled. “I hate cooking,” he said, barely loud enough for her to hear.

She tilted her head as she regarded him. “Don’t tell me you’re an all-rounder who can’t cook?”

“I can cook,” he insisted. “I just don’t _enjoy_ it.”

“Oh, don’t be such a fusspot,” she chided him. “I’m cooking pasta for everyone, so you can help make the sauce. Can you manage that?”

He nodded, mouth pressed into a hard line.

She laughed. “Are you _sulking_?”

“…Yes.”

She ruffled his dark hair. “Cheer up. After dinner, we’ll have the rest of the evening free to do whatever we want.”

Jack felt a small smile appear on his face. “I’d like that.”

She gave him another quick kiss. “Then, let’s get started.”


	6. Chapter 1: Either/Or - Part 3

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

The next morning, on the third day of their being in St. Elpis’, they were all awoken once again by Monobear’s announcement. The students filed out of their rooms one at a time and made their way over to the refectory. As was rapidly becoming the norm, Gráinne was there, waiting to greet each person who walked in individually. All they wanted to do was grab some breakfast.

Once all of the students had been sat around the table, the Ultimate Prefect stood and addressed them all.

“Now that you’re all here again,” Gráinne said, “I want to tell you all about tonight’s meeting. I feel that we haven’t truly gotten to know each other all that well, yet. So this evening, right after dinner, we’re going to sit down in the lounge and have a talk.”

“About what?” Ellie asked.

“Just about ourselves, so we all get to know each other a bit better. That’s all.”

No one looked particularly upset at the prospect of having a chat. The rest of the meal passed without trouble.

 

*** 

 

Nathan spent the rest of the morning and the early afternoon wandering around the school. He had a feeling this would become a regular occurrence in his new life at St. Elpis’ College, along with waking up at seven each morning. It was tiring, but he’d get used to it the same as everyone else.

As he passed through the lounge, he discovered Louise the journalist reclining on one of the couches. She had her faithful notepad lying out in front of her, and she was chewing on the end of her pen. There was an expression of deep thought on her face. Nathan didn’t want to interrupt, but her eyes fell upon him as he was trying to sneak past her.

“Nathan Murphy!” she cried when she saw him. “Just the man I wanted to see.” She reached out and tapped her hand on the space beside her on the sofa. “Sit down and talk to me, if you’re not too busy.”

Nathan doubted _anyone_ could ever be ‘too busy’ in this place, but he sat down regardless.

“Is there something you want to know?” he asked her.

She gave him a mildly reproachful look. “Nathan, just because I’m a journalist doesn’t mean that I have an ulterior motive behind every one of my conversations.” She snatched up her notepad and pen. “But, since you’re here, you wouldn’t mind answering a few questions for me, would you?”

Nathan groaned internally. It wasn’t as though he’d be able to refuse her. “Yeah. Alright.”

She beamed, showing off her perfectly-white teeth. “Fantastic,” she said. “So, Nathan, is it true that your date of birth is the 29th of February, 1996?”

He nodded. “It’s true.”

“Did you celebrate your birthday at all this year?”

“Well, we had a small party on the 28th. It’s only on leap years that we have a big blowout. But I still count myself as being fourteen.”

She hesitated. “You’re…only fourteen years old?”

“Yeah. Fourteen and a half, really.”

She studied his face briefly for a moment. “I see,” she said, scribbling the information down. “You were due to enter your second year in secondary school before you were invited to St. Elpis’ College, then?”

“Yeah.”

“That makes you one of the youngest people in this place. How do you feel about that?”

“Er, I don’t think it makes much of a difference, really. We’re all on the same level.”

“Well answered,” Louise commented as she took down a brief series of notes. “Why don’t you tell me more about yourself? Where you’re from, your family, that sort of thing.”

“Oh. Well, I’m from Wexford, and I live with my mum, my dad and my brother and sister.”

“What are their names?”

“Er, my mum’s name is Anne, my dad’s name is Patrick. My brother’s name is Cian and my sister’s name is Claire.”

Louise diligently took down the names. “…and Claire Murphy,” she murmured as she wrote, before asking in a louder voice, ““And you won your place in St. Elpis’ College via lottery, correct? How do you feel about being the Ultimate Lucky Student?”

“…To be honest, I think it’s a mistake. I’ve never had any good luck in my life.”

“But, nonetheless, you were invited to come to St. Elpis’.”

Nathan spread his arms, indicating their surroundings. “And look how well _that_ turned out,” he said.

Louise pursed her lips as she regarded the boy. “You strike me as being very cynical for your age.”

Nathan nodded. “You’re right about that. I’m a cynic through and through.”

“Do you have any idea why that is?” she asked.

“I…suppose it’s just part of my nature,” he replied. “The same way that Jack is a natural idealist.”

“I see…” There was a lull in the conversation as Louise wrote a series of bullet headings in her notepad.

Nathan’s curiosity got the better of him. “Can I ask what you’re questioning me for?”

Louise’s eyes flickered up to meet his. “Oh, I’m sorry. I never told you, did I?” She closed the notepad in order to speak with him directly. “I’m planning on writing an article on each student here in the school. I intend to compile them all into a sort of ‘yearbook’, you might call it. I’m trying to conduct an interview with the other pupils…” She grimaced. “But, unfortunately, not all of them have been as forthcoming with information as you have.”

That was unsurprising. “So, who’ll be writing the article about _you_?” Nathan asked.

“Why, myself, of course! Who else would know more about Louise Smythe than _me_?”

“And you don’t think that’ll your opinion might be biased in any way?”

“Not at all!” Louise dismissed the ludicrous idea with a wave of her notepad. “I’m the Ultimate Journalist, after all. How could I _ever_ be biased? Now then, shall we continue with the interview?” She flicked her notepad open, looking eagerly at Nathan.

He sighed. “Sure. Fine.”

“Excellent! Now, I want to talk about your previous romantic experiences…”

 

*** 

 

Ciara was lying on top of her bed, plucking gently at the D-string on her beloved guitar. Despite the harsh time and oppressing environment she was living in, Ciara still felt right at home with her instrument.

She sang softly, _“There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold, and she’s buying-”_

There was a rap on the door, causing Ciara to crane her neck in order to see who it was. She’d left her bedroom door open, not wanting to be confined in her own room. She also knew that the rooms were soundproofed, so having the door open didn’t cut her off from the life of her companions.

Deirdre, the Ultimate Soprano, was standing in the doorway.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” she said, “but I couldn’t help overhearing your music. I didn’t realise that you were a talented vocalist as well as a guitarist.”

Ciara blinked. “Oh. Well, yeah. I mean, I’ve had a lot of my songs released as singles over the last year or so. Actually, my first album went platinum about a month ago.”

Deirdre smile was polite, revealing nothing at all. “I see. Forgive me for not knowing that. Popular music is not really my ‘cup of tea’, you might say.” She gestured to a chair next to the desk in Ciara’s room. “May I sit down?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

Deirdre sat down on the small, wooden chair, crossing her legs. “But, regardless of my sophisticated musical tastes, I admire your talents, Miss Maguire. I would humble myself to ask you something.”

Ciara was a bit put-off by the soprano’s elaborate way of speaking. But the other girl seemed sincere in her speech. “What is it?”

“It is my belief that we should combine our efforts and sing a duet. It would be a collaboration between the two most talented vocalists in the school.”

Ciara rested her chin in her hand as she thought. “That might be cool. What song did you have in mind?”

Deirdre’s reserved smile grew wide. “Well, as you know, I have an extensive repertoire of classical pieces. I was thinking we could start with the works of Georges Bizet?” Before Ciara could interrupt, the soprano belted out a lyric. _“L'amour est un oiseau rebelle que nul ne peut apprivoiser…”_

Ciara held up her hands for silence. “I…wouldn’t really know anything by, er, _Bee-zay_.”

Deirdre frowned. “Oh. Well, I beg your pardon. Perhaps a selection of Mozart’s pieces, then? I’ve always been fond of _The Magic Flute_ , myself.”

“Er, I’m not really familiar with Mozart, either.”

“Oh. Well, that _is_ a shame. Perhaps something more modern, then? Gilbert and Sullivan, perhaps?” Without waiting for an answer, Deirdre once again launched into another song. _“Poor wandering one, though thou have surely strayed…”_

Ciara decided to put a stop to this. “Look, do you know any songs from, I dunno, the last century?”

Deirdre looked at the guitarist as though she had just suggested autocannibalism. “I…may. I know a handful of artists from that time period, yes.”

“Can you name one?” Ciara asked.

Deirdre grasped for a name. “…Edith Piaf?”

Ciara smiled. “Oh, good. I know a song by Edith Piaf. I think it’s called _La Vie en Rose_?”

Deirdre sniffed. “Very well. Play the song and I shall join in if I deem it worthy of my voice.”

Ciara began strumming warily. Before she could even begin the first line of the song, she stopped and looked at Deirdre. “Aren’t you a soprano, though?”

“I’m sorry? Yes, I am the _Ultimate_ Soprano.”

“Well, this song is fairly low-pitched for someone like you. Even _I_ have trouble singing it. I’m just wondering, would you like me to raise it up a few keys?”

Deidre stared. “Why…yes. I would.” She hadn’t expected the girl to be so perceptive, or considerate.

Ciara smiled. “Great. I’ll start again.” She moved her fingers up the fretboard and began the song once more.

 

*** 

 

Alex was trying to be alone. The lounge was currently occupied, as were the hurling alley and football pitch. The refectory was empty, but the chances were high of someone wandering in to grab an afternoon snack. His room felt stifling, and it was too close to the others’ rooms, besides. He wanted to get as far away from his fellow students as he possibly could. To that end, he found himself exploring the classrooms along the western side of the building. The old halls were nice and quiet, allowing the Ultimate Physicist to be left completely and utterly alone.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like the other students, he reflected. He just functioned better when he was by himself. His peers, no matter who they were, always generate so much noise. Sometimes - _most_ of the time - he just wanted a secluded spot to sit down and think.

It had been far too long since he had been given a challenging problem to test his intelligence. The best part of being a physicist, he felt, was that there was no shortage of issues to correct or mathematical equations to figure out. He’d even solved problems for NASA, for God’s sake! And yet, here he was, practically marinating in this bizarre school of despair.

Alex was bored. He’d honestly been looking forward to attending St. Elpis’ College, to see for himself what made the school so successful. Who knows, he may have even learned something new about himself, or about other people. But instead, he’d been left to fester in a hellhole in which he must constantly fear for his own life. Who was responsible for this atrocity? It had to be the person controlling Monobear, unless there was an entire conspiracy behind the freakish bear. Who were they that they thought they could trap _him_ in their twisted little game?

Alex’s emotions were beginning to froth and boil, so he forced himself to calm down. As he’d been told so many times before, throwing a tantrum would get him nowhere. He had to keep his emotions under control in order to keep his mind in a rational state.

He snatched a piece of paper and pen from atop the teacher’s desk, before sitting down behind one of the student desks. He immediately began writing out a set of equations, solving them as he went. Once he had filled one side of the sheet, he flipped it over and started on the other side. While his pen spiralled across the page, he let his mind focus on his current predicament. They had been in the Monobear-run school for a few days now, but nobody had been murdered as of yet. The ‘principal’ seemed very eager to see someone killed. Alex knew that the bear wouldn’t stand for peaceful cohabitation between his students. It wouldn’t be long before he decided to take steps to ensure that a murder would occur. As ambivalent as he was about the presence of the other students, Alex didn’t want to see any of them get killed because of that sadistic bear’s desires.

So caught-up was he in his thoughts and work that he didn’t notice the girl standing over him until she said, “Eh…hello?”

Alex’s head snapped upwards to see Niamh leaning over him, staring at him curiously.

“Y-yes?” he muttered, hearing his voice crack slightly. “Is something wrong?”

Niamh couldn’t meet the boy’s stern gaze. She pointed down on the sheet of paper he was working on and said, “It’s just…this question here. You forgot to add the constant of integration.”

Alex frowned. Surely he hadn’t made as basic a mistake as that? He checked the equation she was pointing to. And checked it again. She was right.

“I…don’t know how that happened,” he muttered in disbelief, feeling the colour rise in his cheeks. Such an embarrassing mistake, and in front of one of his peers, too.

But the girl just waved her hand. “It’s alright. Everyone’s made _that_ mistake at least once in their life.” Her brow furrowed. “But, you see this other question? You could’ve just used the Chain Rule to get the same answer.”

Alex turned his face away from Niamh so that she wouldn’t see his scarlet face. “R-right. Of course.” He glowered, tasting the bitterness in his mouth as he said, “You’d think that the Ultimate Physicist would know better.”

Niamh shook her head. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Everybody makes mistakes sometimes. And the level of mathematics you’re doing is fairly advanced, too. You shouldn’t feel bad.”

Alex glanced back again at the Ultimate Model. He wanted to say ‘thank you’. Instead, he asked, “Why are you here?”

Niamh sat down on top of the desk next to Alex’s. “I was looking for a place to be alone. It was getting a bit crowded around the dormitories, so I went for a walk down the corridor.” She gestured outside the classroom, towards the long hallway that lay beyond. “But, when I saw you in here, I wanted to see what you were up to. Just as well, too. I really like maths.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “You do?”

She nodded. She felt that she was slowly growing more comfortable in the boy’s presence. “It’s my favourite subject.” An awkward smile appeared on her face. “But I never got the chance to study Physics. So…would you give me a few tips?”

“…I’m sorry?” he croaked.

“I want to learn about Physics. Will you teach me?” she asked, leaning forward hopefully.

Most males, Alex thought, would die for a chance to teach this girl about _anything_. But Alex was different from most males in a few regards. He hardly saw the point in romance. But, he considered as Niamh smiled gently at him, she was quite pretty. Even _he_ could see that. And she definitely seemed interested in what he had to say. Most people tended to tune out after a few minutes of hearing one of Alex’s complex explanations of quantum models. This girl, on the other hand, seemed patient and intelligent, too.

 _Why not?_ he reasoned, before saying aloud, “Alright. What would you like to learn about?”

“Hmm…how about relativity?” Niamh asked. “I don’t know very much about it, but I’ve heard it’s a big deal. Could you give me the basics?”

 _Relativity. That shouldn’t be too hard to explain,_ Alex mentally noted.

He began. “Well, it all began in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. People at the time had a lot of firmly-established laws of physics to work with in their experiments. They knew all about waves and how they moved. But, they thought that all waves needed a medium in order to travel through, the way sound waves need air or other substances to travel through. A man named Thomas Young had proven that light acted as a wave, as well, so people thought that light had to travel through a medium, too. Since there is no air in the vacuum of outer space, which light can still travel through, people thought that there was some sort of invisible medium that the light waves were travelling through.”

Niamh nodded, understanding so far. “But there wasn’t?”

“There wasn’t, and isn’t. This discovery was one of the things that made Albert Einstein come up with the special theory of relativity. The other thing that prompted the development of the theory was the fact that the speed of light remains constant in a vacuum.” He paused as he tried to think of a suitable analogy. “Imagine there’s someone who always throws a ball at exactly five metres per second. If they got into a car and drove at ten metres per second, then threw the ball ahead of the car, how fast would the ball travel?”

Niamh answered, “Fifteen metres per second, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. The ball’s speed relative to the car would still be five metres per second, but, to someone standing at the side of the road at the time the ball was thrown, it would be moving at fifteen metres per second. This idea holds true for all objects with mass.”

“But light doesn’t have mass.”

“Exactly. It doesn’t. That’s why, no matter where you’re standing or how fast you’re travelling, the speed of light will always appear to be a little less than three hundred thousand kilometres per second, within a reasonable margin of error.”

Niamh folded her arms. “But that makes no sense. How can light always be travelling at the same speed? If a star was moving towards the Earth, then the light from that star should seem faster than if it was moving away from the Earth.”

Alex nodded. “That’s what a lot of scientists at the time thought, too. They believed that space and time were constant, and therefore that the speed of light was not. It’s common sense, really. However, Einstein claimed that it was actually the other way around. Time and space _weren’t_ constant, but the speed of light was. That was contradictory to the laws of physics as they were known at the time. This so-called ‘special theory of relativity’ led to a whole series of new, strange ideas, like how time runs differently for objects or people travelling at different speeds.” He hesitated. “But, you probably don’t want to know about all that. It’s complex and tedious.”

But Niamh was completely focused on the physicist’s words. “I don’t think it’s tedious at all! Tell me more!”

“Y-you’re sure?”

“Yeah! So, what does the whole ‘E = mc2’ thing mean?”

“Oh, well, you see…”

 

 

Fionn munched down into the beef burger with undisguised relish. He hadn’t had anything to eat since breakfast, nearly seven hours earlier. Even though he was unable to train for rugby in the cramped school environment, his diet hadn’t changed; his lunch consisted of five burgers, some slices of bacon, cocktail sausages and fish fingers. Fionn rarely ate anything without protein in it. He hoped it would be enough to keep him going until dinner at six.

Orlagh strolled into the refectory, hoping to grab a quick bite to eat. She felt like having a ham sandwich, or a banana. But, when she saw the Ultimate Rugby Star sitting at the table, devouring slices of meat and barely taking the time to chew, she felt her appetite fade.

She made a disgusted noise. “How can you eat like that?”

Fionn scoffed down a few sausages before turning to see who had walked in. He rolled his eyes upon seeing the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir standing less than ten feet away. “Wha’ –oo wa’?” he asked her.

Orlagh cringed, unable to draw her eyes away from the chunks of meat sloshing around in his mouth. “Ugh! I thought I told you not to talk with your mouth full like that!”

Fionn glared at her as he swallowed the mouthful of food. “I said, ‘what d’you want?’”

She huffed. “I came in here to eat some lunch, but you’ve put me right off my food! _Buachaill salach!_ ”

“Well, that’s not _my_ fault!” Fionn took up the defence. “I was here first! You just walked in.”

“I refuse to eat in the same room as someone who eats nothing but greasy, saturated food so greedily!”

“Fine! Then piss off!” he snapped.

Orlagh was beyond furious. “I can’t just stand by and let a fellow student, ignorant though he may be, eat such an unbalanced meal! I thought you were a professional athlete? Do you _ever_ eat anything that isn’t meat?”

Fionn shoved his chair away from the table and stood up. “What I eat and don’t eat is none of your business. Just leave me the fuck alone.” His voice was even and soft, like a tiger ready to pounce.

Orlagh’s eye twitched. She had nearly forgotten just how tall the boy was because he’d been sitting down. She wisely decided to retreat. “I’ll come back later!” she said haughtily, turning on her heel and marching back out of the refectory.

Fionn glared at her back until the doors closed behind her, before clambering back into his chair and sitting down again. He was fuming. “Who the hell does she think she is?” he grumbled as he resumed wolfing down his lunch. “My mother?”

He barely even realised it himself, but Orlagh’s words had had an effect on him. Later that evening, as everyone gathered for dinner, Fionn went and grabbed a few celery sticks. He ate them quickly, hoping no one would notice.


	7. Chapter 1: Either/Or - Part 4

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

The time for dinner arrived and all of the students gathered once again in the refectory. After eating another hearty meal, they were led out by Gráinne into the lounge. A set of sixteen cushions had been placed on the floor in a circle: one for each student. Everyone took their place and waited for the meeting to begin.

Gráinne stood up, taking charge as she usually did. “Thank you all for coming along. Today, I was hoping we could all just talk a little bit about ourselves. Who you are, your families, pets, hobbies and things like that. Does anyone want to start?” She looked hopefully around the circle, smiling when Fionn stuck his hand up in the air.

“I’ll have a go,” he said. “But, eh, what should I say?”

“Start with your name,” Gráinne told him.

“Right. Well, eh, my name’s Fionn.”

He was interrupted by a chorus of “Hi, Fionn!”

The Ultimate Rugby Star’s face fell. “Don’t start that shite. This isn’t an AA meeting. Now, what was I saying? Oh, yeah. I live in Ballinasloe, with my granny and granddad, ‘cos my mam and dad died in a car crash about five years ago. I don’t have any pets, but I have a little brother, which is basically the same thing. His name’s Ruán and he’d be just over six, now. He never knew his mam and dad, so I’ve had to look after him a lot of the time. He told me he was going to miss me when I went to St. Elpis’, so I told him I’d be back soon.” The rugby player’s voice cracked, and he raised one hand to his eyes, rubbing them softly. “I’m sorry lads, I’ve…just got something in my…”

Gráinne quickly intervened. “C-could you tell us what you do when you’re not playing rugby?”

Fionn lowered his hand and nodded. “Y-yeah. I…when I’m not playin’ rugby, I like to sew, do arts and crafts, that sort of thing.”

Niamh, who was sitting next to the Ultimate Rugby Star, looked up at him. “You _sew_?”

Fionn tensed. “Yeah! I do! Is there a problem with that?”

She shook her head. “No, it’s just that I tore a hole in one of my skirts. Do you think you’d be able to fix it up?”

He stared at her in surprise for a moments, before saying, “Er, yeah. I would, but I don’t have any needles or thread. I didn’t bring any equipment with me.”

Niamh smiled. “That’s no problem. Monobear left sewing kits in each of the girls’ rooms.”

“Probably hoping we’d use ‘em to stab someone,” Aisling muttered.

Fionn gaped. “Are you _serious_? The lads only got tool kits. I haven’t a clue how to use them.”

“Yeah, me neither.”

“Same here.”

“Is that all, Fionn?”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, Gráinne.” Fionn sat back down.

“Niamh, do you want to go next?” Gráinne asked.

The Ultimate Model nodded slightly before standing up. Instantly, all of the students were transfixed. She noticed, and smiled awkwardly.

“I’m Niamh, and I live with my mum in Letterkenny. I’ve never met my dad, and I don’t know who he is. I have no pets, unless you count a cat that comes looking for food sometimes. When I’m not working, I like to paint, but I’m not very good.” She hesitated. “Er…”

“Tell us how you became a model,” someone called out.

“Oh, well, it was about two years ago. A shop in town that I used to buy clothes from wanted a teenager to model their new line of clothing. I said yes, just to try it out. But the shop owner had a friend in the modelling business, and he came to see me. He told me that he wanted to be my agent, that he’d find lots of modelling jobs for me if I wanted.” She paused nervously. “I nearly said no. But my mam wanted me to do it. She said it’d be a nice change, and that most girls would kill for a chance like the one he was giving me. So, I agreed, and he took me on as one of his models. C-can I sit down, now?”

“Of course you can. Orlagh, you’re next.”

The Ultimate Gaeilgeoir stood up. “ _Haigh, Orlagh McNamara is ainm dom!_ I live in Mullingar with my mum and dad, as well as my auntie Máire. I have one pet dog, named _Lúbaí_. I’ve attended three different Irish-speaking schools since I started primary school. Oh, but I also enjoy stamp-collecting and drinking a nice cup of tea. _Aon rud eile?_ ”

“No, Orlagh. We’re moving on to Alex, now.”

The Ultimate Physicist stood. “I’m Alex, from Carlingford. I live with my parents and my older sister. No pets. In my spare time I enjoy solving differential equations.”

Louise asked, “Isn’t that just a part of Physics, too?”

“It’s _Mathematics_ ,” Alex corrected her. “They’re quite different.”

Gráinne said, “Well, Alex, do you have any hobbies that _aren’t_ related to Physics or Maths?”

He frowned. “Not…anymore.”

The prefect sighed. “Alright, fine. Next?”

“Hello, I’m Aisling, from Ennis. I live there with my mum and dad, and my eight brothers.”

 _“Eight?_ ” Orlagh choked.

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m the youngest, so I think my parents just  _really_ wanted to have a girl. My brothers are the ones who taught me how to fight, and that’s when I discovered how much I enjoyed boxing. My brothers, they all do different types of fighting-related sports: wrestling, taekwondo, karate, kick-boxing, kung fu, those sorts of things. But I was the only one who took up boxing.”

“Did any of your brothers go to St. Elpis’ College?” Gráinne asked.

Aisling shook her head. “I’m the only one. Oh, I also have a pet cat named ‘Rosie’ and my favourite hobby is pottery.” She sat down.

“I’m Seán,” the Ultimate GAA Head said. “I live in Kilkenny, with my dad. We’ve two cats.” A small smirk played on his lips. “Actually, my dad was a student here, in St. Elpis’. The ‘Ultimate Hurler’, they called him. I’m carryin’ on his legacy, you know.”

“Sounds great,” Gráinne said, her tone indicating the irony of her words. “Next up, please?”

Seán looked upset. “But…I never got to talk about my hobbies!”

“Hi, I’m Aidan,” the next person to stand up said. “I’m from Dungarvan, and I live with my older brother, Shane. Mam and Dad got jobs over in England, but I didn’t want to go with them.” He made a disgusted face. “They’re living in Birmingham at the moment. _Birmingham_. How could anyone go surfin’ there?”

“Do you do anything besides surf?” Gráinne asked him keenly.

“…Well, I swim. If that counts?”

Gráinne signalled for the next person to stand up. “It’ll do,” she said.

“My name’s Ciara, and I live in Youghal with my dad. I’ve no pets, or anything. I used to go busking in town, and that’s where a talent scout found me. Within the year, I’d released my first EP. When I’m not performing, I like to go for a jog on the beach, or go mountain-climbing.”

“Very good, Ciara. Michael?”

“Hi, I’m Michael, from Limerick City,” the vet said in his usual, cheerful voice. “I live with my mam, my dad, my two brothers and our three dogs. When I’m not working, I usually spend my time with them.”

“The dogs?”

“Yeah! Ghost, Summer and Shaggydog. My three best friends in the whole world!”

He sat back down as Ellie stood up. “I’m Ellie, from Ballina. I live with my mam, my dad, his dad and my two uncles. We have a big farm, so there’s a load of animals around. Other than them, I have no pets. When I’m not workin’ around the farm, I go out drinkin’ in the clubs.”

“That’s not a hobby,” Aidan objected. “ _Everyone_ does that.”

Ellie grumbled. “Fine, then. I like watching detective programs like _CSI_ on the telly. Happy?”

Next to stand up was the Ultimate Soprano. “I am Deirdre, from Clonmel. I live with my dearest aunt and uncle, as well as their pet cat. That is, when I’m not touring.” She giggled. “I was born into a very musical family, so it was only natural that I would become a classical singer myself. My guardians are very supportive of my career, as long as it doesn’t interfere with my education. My favourite way to pass the time is to read classic literature. _Pride and Prejudice, The Picture of Dorian Grey_ and, my personal favourite, _Les Misérables_.” She assumed an upright position and began singing. _“I dreamed a dream in time gone byyyyyyyy…”_

Gráinne waved her hands in desperation. “Ah, that’s enough! You can sit down, Deirdre.”

The soprano did so, with a haughty look at the Ultimate Prefect.

The next person to stand up was the Ultimate Dancer. “My name’s Ryan and I live with my mam, dad and two sisters in Bray. We have a pet goldfish, if that matters. I got involved with stage productions from an early age, which is where I picked up some of my skills. From then on, I entered a music and dance school in Dublin, before I was invited to St. Elpis’. When I’m not performing, I like to draw sketches and stuff like that.” He sank back down onto his cushion.

“Hi,” said the next person, “I’m Louise, from Sligo. I live with my dad, my step-mum and her two daughters. I’d wanted to be a writer since I was small, but my dad didn’t really care for it. It was actually my step-mum who intervened and let me do what I wanted. I started writing letters to the editors of all these different newspapers, and a lot of them became interested in me and my writing. I ended up writing articles every month, then every week, and so on. But, er, I also enjoy writing fanfiction.” She said, colour rising in her cheeks.

Ryan leaned forward, all ears. “What _kind_ of fanfiction?”

“Th-that line of questioning is irrelevant!” the journalist snapped, before hurriedly sitting down again.

Gráinne stood up next. “As for me, my name is Gráinne and I live in Navan, with my dads. I don’t have any pets-”

“Hold on,” Ellie piped up, with a look of confusion etched on her delicate face. “Did you say ‘dads’?”

“That’s right. My dad and his boyfriend. My mother died when I was small.”

“Oh,” Ellie said, shrugging slightly.

“Anyway, as I was saying, I have no pets or any other close relatives. In my spare time, I like watching sci-fi and horror films. Your turn, Jack.” She smiled at the Ultimate All-Rounder as he stood up next to her.

“My name’s Jack, and I live in Carlow. I live with my mum and dad, and I’m an only child. I have no pets, and in my spare time I listen to classic rock.”

He made to sit down, but Nathan interrupted. “Tell us how you became known as an all-rounder.”

Jack’s eyes widened. “Oh…that? That’s, er…not a particularly impressive story,” he said slowly. “I’m good at lots of different things. Sports, music, drama, academic stuff, etcetera. That’s why I’m known as an all-rounder.”

There was an awkward silence as he sat back down again. Nathan knew Jack was avoiding the question, but it was now his turn to speak. He’d dwell on it again, later.

“I’m Nathan, from Wexford. I live with my mum and dad, as well as my younger brother and sister. They’re twins, so they get most of the attention. I have a pet dog and a hamster. We used to have a beehive in our back garden, but there was an unfortunate accident and it caught fire. I, eh, don’t really have any hobbies. Whatever I try to take up, I usually fail miserably at.”

Ciara peered at him, intrigued. “Really? You must be good at _something_.”

Nathan looked away uncomfortably. “Not really, no. I tried to play football, but I ended up scoring more goals for the other team than _they_ did. When I joined a swimming club, I nearly drowned when I mistook the deep end for the shallow end.”

Aidan snorted. “How did you manage _that?”_

“The day they decided to remove all the depth signs around the pool for cleaning was the day I joined. The only time I ever played hurling ended up in a trip to the ER. I once went on a skiing trip with my family, but someone had played a prank and switched the signs for the different slopes. They didn’t realise the signs had been changed until I was halfway down what I had thought was the green slope, but was actually the _black_ slope. And, well, I don’t like talking about the time I went rock-climbing.”

The rest of the students stared in awe as Nathan recounted his long list of tragedies in a matter-of-fact tone, as though none of them were any kind of big deal.

“But, wait a minute!” Aisling exclaimed. “I thought you were supposed to be the Ultimate Lucky Student? All these things that have happened to you, it makes you seem more like the Ultimate _Un_ lucky Student!”

There were cries of agreement from around the circle.

Nathan grimaced. He didn’t go around telling people this story often, but it had to be done. “It’s true that I have terrible luck. But, despite that, the people who’re around me tend to have very _good_ luck.”

Orlagh frowned. “What are you on about?”

“Well, when the twins were born, they were very sick. The first time I went to visit them, the doctors were beginning to say that they wouldn’t make it. But, when I walked in and held their little hands for a few minutes, their vital signs started picking up again. The doctors thought it was a miracle. I was so happy, that I ran down to the waiting room to tell my dad the good news. On the way, I tripped and fell down the stairs. I fractured both my collarbones, but the twins were cured. They’re as healthy as can be, now.”

Everyone was staring at him now, open-mouthed. Nathan panicked, thinking that they didn’t believe him. He forged on. “And the first girl I ever really fancied, back in Sixth Class: I went to tell her how I felt, but she interrupted me and told me that she was mad for my best friend. She told him how _she_ felt, and they’ve been going out ever since. They couldn’t be happier.”

Now some of the other students were wincing. Nathan took that as a bad sign. He started speaking as quickly as he could in order to convey his meaning. “And when I got my appendix taken out the doctor who performed the surgery won the lotto jackpot the next day. And when I got run over by a car the driver turned out to be a bigwig politician who paid my family off to keep it quiet. And when we had a car crash, even though we ploughed straight into the side of a lorry, I was the only member of my family who was injured. And once-”

“Wait, Nathan, stop!” Jack cried.

Nathan stared in horror at his fellow pupils. “I-I’m sorry! Did I say something bad?”

“‘Bad’?” echoed Ciara in disbelief. “You’re _incredible_!”

“Wh-what?”

“You’re like a superhero, Nathan!” Aisling cried.

“Really?” he asked in bewilderment.

“Yeah!” the rest of the students answered.

Michael said, “I wouldn’t be able to handle it if I had terrible luck, but everyone around me was really, really lucky. It’s amazing that you’re able to put up with it so well!”

“And, what’s more,” Gráinne added, “this means that you’re still the Ultimate Lucky Student. Because you’re _lucky to be around!_ ”

Nathan was stunned. “You…don’t think I’m weird, or anything?”

Jack clapped him on the back. “Nate, _all_ of us are weird. We’re the ones who stand out from the crowd. And there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Nathan beamed. “Th-thanks, Jack. And everyone else, too.”

Aidan tilted his head. “But, Nathan, I was wonderin’. If you have bad luck, but give everyone around you _good_ luck, then what was your first wank like?”

Nathan face burned red. “I…I…I’ll tell you later.”

And with that, the lounge erupted into laughter. Nathan’s embarrassed smile, in turn, split into a grin. Before long, he was laughing along with his fellow pupils, his new friends at St. Elpis’.

He blinked. _New friends…?_

His head throbbed and he felt his eye twitch in response. It was that weird feeling again, the same from yesterday morning. That inexplicable, hazy feeling that he wanted to put a name on, but couldn’t. It was on the tip of his tongue, just out of reach…

_…Déjà vu?_

“What’s all _this_ then? Is that the foul stench of hope I smell?”

The students recoiled from the centre of the circle, where Monobear had appeared out of thin air.

“I can’t believe this!” the bear shrieked. “I spent all my time putting together this school of exquisite despair, and _now_ look what you’ve done! That’s like spending ages cleaning the carpet in your home, just for a big, smelly dog to come in and leave dirty paw prints all over it!”

The feeling faded and was replaced by anger. “Shut up!” Nathan yelled at the freakish bear.

“Ex _cuse_ me?!” Monobear squeaked.

Jack had stood up alongside Nathan. “We’re not going to play along with your stupid games! Nobody here is going to commit murder.”

“Yeah, that’s right!”

“We’re not going to kill anyone!”

A cry went up from the other students, rallying against Monobear. The bear, for his part, pouted in disappointment.

“I had a feeling you wouldn’t be won over by despair so easily,” he said. Suddenly, his mouth split into a savage grin, displaying his pointed teeth. “Good thing I came up with a backup plan, hmm?”

Ciara glared at Monobear. “What are you talking about?”

The bear held up one of its paws. Clutched in it was a bundle of envelopes.

“I have some important pieces of evidence here,” Monobear crowed. “One for each of you, in fact. I’d like everyone to take the envelope with their name on it and open it.”

He tossed the bundle on the ground in front of him, before toddling out of the circle. No one dared to stop him. There was a brief scrum as everyone went to grab their own envelope. Nathan found the one with his name scrawled across the front, before tearing it open. Inside the envelope was a photograph. In fact, it seemed somewhat familiar…

Nathan’s eye widened as he recognised the figure in the photo. It was himself, in first year. There had been an incident during the first-year school trip to the seaside. The cabin Nathan had been sleeping in was broken into by a group of third-years, who were also on a school trip. They grabbed the first little student they could, which happened to be Nathan, stripped him down to his boxers, wrote ‘faggot’ in permanent maker on his forehead and tossed him into the water. Nathan hadn’t realised at the time that a photo had been taken. The third-years hadn’t done anything with said photo, and indeed they forgot about the whole affair within a few days. They never bothered Nathan again. But here the picture was: a soaking-wet Nathan, wearing nothing but his underpants, with the word ‘faggot’ shining on his forehead.

Nathan gulped. He still had nightmares about the incident, no matter how hard he tried to forget it. The cries of shock and humiliation from the other students in the lounge drew him back to the present. A quick glance around the room told him that the others must have been given a similar photograph. Even Jack was staring in horror at the slip in his hand, mouth opening and closing wordlessly.

Monobear, on the other hand, was laughing maniacally. “Upupupupu! Aaaahahahahaha! That’s right! I was able to dredge up the most embarrassing and humiliating pictures of you bastards that I could find! So, here’s the deal: if someone isn’t murdered within the next forty-eight hours, I’ll send a copy of every photograph to each room. And then, I’ll publish those photos outside the school, so that everybody will be able to see you at your absolute _worst_! Upupupu!” With a final giggle, Monobear departed the scene, leaving the stunned students behind him.

This time, it was Nathan who first spoke up. His tone was tinged with reluctance. “I don’t want to be the one to say this, but we can’t let anyone here die. So…I think we should just show everyone our pictures and get it over with.”

For every shaky nod, there was at least one loud ‘No!’ from around the circle.

“You can’t do that!”

“Yeah, you can’t make us!”

“There’s no way in hell I’m letting anyone see _this_!”

Aidan rolled his eyes. “Come on, it’s not that big of a deal. Watch.” He stuck his hand out, with the ‘evidence’ held between his fingers. “Go on, someone take it. I’ve got nothin’ to hide.”

There was a brief silence, before Ciara reached out from beside Aidan and tentatively took the photo from his grasp. She examined the front of the photograph, eyes growing steadily wider and cheeks becoming gradually redder.

“Is…is this _you_?!” she spluttered after a few moments.

Aidan nodded. “I made a bet with the lads. They thought I’d never go surfin', naked, in the middle of November. I proved them wrong.” He grimaced. “But one of those bastards must’ve taken a photo without me realisin' it.”

Ciara tilted her head, staring intensely at the photograph.

Aidan nudged her. “You’re supposed to let other people see it, as well.”

Ciara blinked. “Oh. Right, yeah.” She handed the photo off to the next person in line. There suddenly seemed to be an increased number of girls standing near the Ultimate Guitarist.

Ciara sighed, before handing her own photograph over to Aidan. “Here,” she said, in a monotonous voice. “It’s only fair that I show you mine, since you showed me yours.”

Aidan glanced at the photo. His eyes flickered back to Ciara in surprise. “You, too?” he asked.

The guitarist nodded shamefully. “I was playing a gig at a friend’s birthday party, and they asked me to play one song completely naked. I was drunk, so of course I agreed.”

Aidan looked around the circle. “Are _all_ of these photos just nudes?”

“No,” was the reply from most of the other students.”

The surfer sighed. “That’d be too easy.”

A few of the more shameless students opted to have their photos passed around the circle, too. Jack clutched onto his own tightly, but he received a photo from the person next to him. He stared at it for one, tedious moment, before passing it on to Nathan, his face tinged scarlet.

Nathan’s curiosity was piqued. What could have caused _Jack_ of all people to react so strongly? A single glance at the photo answered his question.

“Oh my God…” Nathan scanned the photo, feeling like a voyeur as he did so. “Is that…Ellie?”

Jack nodded, his face set in a bemused expression. “Quite a surprise, isn’t it?”

“‘Surprise?’” Nathan repeated in bewilderment. It was borderline _pornography_!

“Are you sure you want people seeing this, Ellie?” Jack called out to the Ultimate Farmer, who waved her hand dismissively.

“Sure, what’s the harm?” She paused. “But, I couldn’t tell you who took the photo. There wasn’t anybody else in the house, and it’s not like we set up a camera before we…”

Jack interrupted her. “A-alright! I understand.”

Just then, Aidan’s embarrassing photo reached Orlagh, who shook her head violently and refused to look at it.

“If I look at your photo,” she said, “then _you’ll_ want to look at mine. And…I can’t let you do that! _Níl seans amháin!_ ” she cried.

Seán nodded firmly. “Yeah! And I’m not showing anybody my picture, either!”

Ellie glared at him. “You just looked at _mine!”_

“And mine, too!” Ciara snapped.

“No, I didn’t,” Seán protested.

“Yes, you did! I _saw_ you!”

“Hey,” Fionn shouted, “if they’re not showing theirs, then neither am I!”

“Me neither!”

The lounge erupted into a series of violent shouts and curses. What had been a cheerful group of teenagers only a few minutes before was rapidly turning into a bloodbath.

 _“Everyone, shut the fuck up!”_ a voice roared.

Everyone stopped, turning on the spot to face the girl who had screamed.

The Ultimate Prefect stood, quivering under everyone’s stares. “Th-there’s no need to fight over these photos,” she said, in a voice lacking both strength and volume. “No one has to show theirs if they don’t want to.”

Nathan saw that she was clutching her own picture close to her chest. That particular detail didn’t go unnoticed by the other students.

Alex snarled. “You’re only saying that because you don’t want to show _your_ own photo!”

The room erupted into noise and fury again, only falling silent when Jack bellowed, “Shut up!”

Once everyone was listening, he said, “Don’t you see what’s going on? Monobear is trying to make us turn on each other. This is exactly what he _wants_!”

Nathan looked at the Ultimate All-Rounder in desperation. “Then, what are we going to do?”

Jack looked out at his peers. “Let’s just give it up for now. We’re tired, and stressed-out. We should go back to our rooms.”

For a minute, it didn’t seem like anyone was going to follow Jack’s suggestion. But, one-by-one, the students left the lounge, with their own photos in hand. Most went off in the direction of the dormitories, others went to different areas of the building. Either way, the room cleared out, leaving Jack alone with Gráinne. Nathan had bid a farewell to his two friends before heading back to his room.

The prefect was still trembling. Jack wrapped her in his arms and whispered gently into her ear, “I’m sorry. I did all I could.”

“It wasn’t enough,” Gráinne said, in a louder voice. “They’re all so scared. I…I couldn’t do anything.”

She began sobbing. Jack was at a loss. He’d never seen Gráinne look so upset. The Ultimate Prefect was always such a pillar of strength. That’s why he looked up to her, why she’d attracted him.

He held her close. “They’ll come around in the morning. They’ll have to.” He was confident that no one would be hurt.

Gráinne looked deep into his eyes. “I want to see you. Tonight. After everyone else has gone to bed.”

Jack stared at her in disbelief. “Are you serious? But, isn’t that dangerous? Are you sure about this?” he asked her.

She took a deep, calming breath. “Yes. I need to get some things off my chest.”

Jack tilted his head slightly as he regarded the prefect. “Is this about the photograph?”

Gráinne didn’t answer, and so Jack said, “Alright. I’ll send you a note, telling you where and when to meet me. I’ll leave a clue in the note, so you’ll know it was me who wrote it. Make sure to check the front of your door in a few hours’ time, alright?”

“Alright,” she replied. They shared a brief, tender kiss before leaving the lounge and returning to their rooms.

 

*** 

 

Nathan was awoken from his peaceful slumber by a loud buzzing sound. He lurched up in his bed, wondering where the noise had come from, before it sounded again. The noise was coming from near the door. He got up out of the bed and staggered over to the door. Someone was ringing his doorbell. His fingers scrabbled for the handle. He opened the door a crack.

“Who is it?” he mumbled.

“Nate?” Jack’s voice came from the other side of the door. “I need you to come out here. There’s something you need to see.”

Nathan frowned. Jack sounded shaken. Very much so. “What’s happened?”

“Just…come outside. Please,” he begged.

“…Alright. Just give me a minute. I need to find my clothes.”

Nathan closed the door and flicked on the light, wincing as the room brightened intensely. He searched around the room, eyes half-shut, looking for his clothes. He pulled on his trousers, and his shirt, before opening the door again.

Jack was standing on the other side, his face gaunt and pale. Just as Nathan closed the door behind him, another door opened nearby and Aisling stuck her head out. Her hair was tangled and fell about her shoulders, out of its usual pony-tail.

“What’s so important?” she asked. “And what’s Nathan doing here, too?”

“Come on,” Jack said to the two of them, before marching off towards the lounge. Nathan followed him warily. As much as he liked Jack, Nathan didn’t wholly trust him. They had only known each other for a few days, after all. Judging by the look on Aisling’s face, she felt the same way.

Jack led them out of the east wing, into the main building of the school. They passed through the entrance hall, before turning north, towards the hurling alley and football pitch.

Aisling was the first one to break the silence. “Where are you taking us, Jack?” They turned a corner, marching towards the doors that Louise had found the warehouse behind. “You’d better have a bloody good reason for waking… _oh my GOD!”_ she shrieked.

Nathan followed the boxer’s gaze, to the double doors that lead into the mysterious warehouse. There, lying on the floor in front of the doors, was a person. Nathan ran towards them, knowing in his heart that it was already too late. The stench of blood was in the air, and the floor was already drenched with the foul liquid. Lying face-down by the doors, sprawled out on the tiles and still forevermore, was Gráinne Mahon, the Ultimate Prefect.


	8. Chapter 1: Either/Or - Part 5

_Laethanta Mínormálta_  -  Abnormal Days

As soon as the trio had arrived on the scene of Gráinne’s death, a nearby loudspeaker clicked and the familiar, cheerful tones of Monobear came screeching out.

_“Attention, all students! A dead body has just been discovered! Everyone may proceed with the investigation until the school trial begins, in several hours’ time. Happy hunting!”_

Nathan barely even registered what the blasted bear had said. He was still staring in shock at the prefect’s body as it lay there on the floor. Jack was shaking, and Aisling was sobbing. Neither of them knew what to do.

Nathan took a deep breath to try and calm himself. Turning away from the body also helped. Jack caught his eye, and understood.

“Aisling,” the all-rounder said, “I want you to go back to the dormitories and find the others. They were probably woken up by that announcement. Bring them over here. Can you do that?”

The boxer nodded, perhaps a bit too quickly, before sprinting away from the body, tears still flowing down her face. The two boys were left alone with the body of their friend.

“Jack…” Nathan called out to his friend. “I’m so sorry.”

The Ultimate All-Rounder’s face was framed in shadow as he stared down at the body. After a moment, he looked up at Nathan, his eyes shimmering with determination.

“I’m going to find out who did this,” he vowed. “And make them pay for it.”

Nathan nodded. “I’ll help in whatever way I can.”

“Then we should start by examining the body. We might find some clues.”

Nathan grimaced, but relented. He knelt down, away from the patch of blood, to study Gráinne’s corpse. Jack stood over him. Nathan realised that his friend was still grieving, and didn’t want to examine the body any more than Nathan did.

“Jack,” the Ultimate Lucky Student said, “why don’t you stand guard? Watch my back, make sure that no one sneaks up on me.”

Jack stared, wide-eyed at Nathan. “Y-yeah. Good idea.” He turned away from the body and stared down the dark corridor. “Thank you,” he whispered to the other boy.

“Don’t mention it,” Nathan replied.

Anyone could tell just by looking at the body what the fatal injury had been: a gaping hole was located in the nape of Gráinne’s neck, from which blood had oozed out in great quantities. The back of her blouse was drenched in the foul substance, as was her hair. After a quick scan, Nathan discovered traces of blood on the victim’s fingers, specifically those on her right hand. Beneath the hand, more blood had spilled to the floor. Nathan gently pushed the hand aside, before gasping quietly at what he found.

Beneath Gráinne’s fingers was the name ‘Jones’, written in blood. The writing was small and untidy, but the letters were clear.

“J-Jack?” Nathan croaked. “There’s something written, here.”

“What is it?”

“…Your surname.”

Jack stiffened, before crossing over to join Nathan. “Where?”

“Beneath her hand. It looks like she wrote it herself.”

Jack gaped, his head shaking slowly from side to side. “Nate, I…I didn’t do it! I _swear_ I didn’t!”

“It’s fine, Jack!” Nathan hissed. “I believe you. I know you couldn’t have done this. Whoever the real killer is must be trying to frame you.”

The all-rounder gritted his teeth. “That bastard! I won’t let them get away with this!”

The pair heard voices coming from down the hall. The other students were coming. Nathan, thinking quickly, moved the victim’s hand back over the words.

When the others arrived on the scene, there were gasps and even a scream or two.

“ _Sé fíor!_ ” Orlagh cried. “She’s…dead!”

“How did this happen?” Fionn asked, his voice dull and heavy. “Who did this?”

Seán growled. “I bet it was that Monobear dickhead! He’s been waitin’ for the chance to cut one of us down!”

“Hmm? Did someone call my name?” The bear dropped down from the ceiling above the body, landing beside it, causing the gathered students to back away. “Oh, dear! What’s gotten you all so worked up?”

“Did you murder Gráinne?” Deirdre asked, her voice wavering nervously. “Was it you?”

“Well…nope!” Monobear beamed. “I’m afraid you’re not all getting off the hook that easily! The killer…is one of _you_!” The bear howled with laughter upon seeing the pupils’ shocked reaction. “Upupupu! Which means that I won’t be needing to publish those _hilarious_ pictures. No need to worry!”

Alex stepped forward defiantly. “We don’t care about those worthless pictures anymore. When you made that announcement a few minutes ago, you mentioned a ‘school trial’. What did you mean?”

“Upupu. I see that someone’s wide awake! That’s right: in just a few short hours, the first of what I hope will be _many_ school trials will be held.”

Nathan stood. “Is this part of the rule that states a culprit who kills a fellow student can graduate the school, but only if they don’t let any other student know that they are the culprit?”

“It is, indeed! Once I feel that you little wretches have investigated this murder enough, I will call everyone to the courtroom. There, I’ll have you all discuss amongst yourselves who the culprit is. Once you’ve decided on who you think the culprit is, a vote will be held. If you vote for the true culprit, then he or she will be… _punished_.” The word held more menace than it ever had before when spoken by Monobear.

There were whispers from the students.

“What’s that mean?”

“Is the killer going to be killed, as well?”

But Monobear hadn’t finished. “It gets even better! If you plucky bastards fail to identify who the real culprit is, then he or she escapes with their life, while everyone _else_ gets punished instead! Isn’t that fun?!”

Now there were shouts and cries echoing around the halls.

“What?!”

“No way!”

“How?!”

“Upupupu! I’m glad to see you’re all so excited. But first, it’s time for your very special present! I want everyone to check their Student ID cards. On them, you’ll find the Monobear File, which will tell you everything you need to know about the murder. For now, at least. Now then, let the investigation begin! Ta-ta!”

Monobear leaped up high into the air, passing through a hole in the ceiling that closed behind him.

There was a grim silence in the hall. Nobody knew where to begin.

Alex, who had stepped forward only moments before, spoke up again. “I’ll head this investigation.”

Seán glowered, his face a mask of suspicion. “Why _you_?”

Alex pushed up the bridge of his glasses. “Because I’m the only scientist here. Processing information and facts is all in my profession.”

Seán was about to make another biting comment, but Jack held up his hand. “That’s fine, Alex. What do you want to do first?”

“I will need to examine the body, of course. And I must conduct a full investigation of the building.” Alex raised a hand to his chin. “But, according to Monobear, we only have a limited amount of time to complete our given task.” He turned to glance at Nathan and Jack. “Would you two assist me in this matter?”

Nathan didn’t hesitate. “Of course we will.”

“Good. Jack, I’m putting you in charge of investigating the west wing, the lounge and the refectory. Bring as many people as you can.”

“I understand,” Jack said, in an even voice.

“Then Nathan is in charge of overseeing the investigation of the dormitories.”

There were a handful of protests, which were quelled when Fionn turned to glare at them. “If the killer’s one of us, then that means there might be clues in the bedrooms. Anyone who won’t let their bedroom be searched is automatically suspicious, right?” He made eye-contact with Nathan. “You can search my room all you want. I left it unlocked.”

“Thanks, Fionn.”

“Yeah, you can search my room, too.”

“…Same, here.”

“Mine, as well.”

Soon enough, all of the students had offered their room up for investigation, grudgingly or otherwise.

“Very good. Now, I must begin my examination of the corpse.”

“Hold on a minute,” Seán started again. “How do we know you’re not the killer and you’re just trying to cover up your guilt? He might mess around with the body to make it seem like someone else did it.”

Alex scowled, but the idiot had made an important point. “I see. Then someone must watch over the crime scene in the event that the culprit attempts to tamper with the evidence.”

“And what if they’re the killer, instead?” Seán accused. “You wander off for a minute and suddenly the killer’s framed you.”

Alex paused to think. “Then…I’ll have two people watch over the crime scene. Each can watch the other.”

“Then no one will be able to tamper with the crime scene,” Louise said.

Fionn raised his hand. “I’ll do it. I don’t need to go back and unlock my room, after all.”

“Neither do I,” said Ellie, “so I volunteer, as well.”

“Then we’re all set to go,” Jack said. “Everyone who has their room left unlocked, come with me. We’ve got some investigating to do.”

Roughly half of the students followed Jack down the corridor. Nathan addressed the remainder. “Then youse can come with me to the dormitories.”

They nodded, and Nathan began the long walk back to the east wing.

Alex was left alone with the corpse, as well as the two guards. He brought up the Monobear File on his ID card, but deemed it too lengthy to read when he could be examining the victim’s body instead.

“Fionn,” he said, “could you please read out the details of the Monobear File?”

“Huh? Oh, right. Sure.” Fionn pulled his ID card out of his pocket and turned it on. A new icon had appeared on the screen. Fionn touched it, and it enlarged until it covered the whole screen. Before his eye, words began to scroll across.

“Let’s see…it says that the victim is Gráinne Mahon. She was killed at 1:05 by being stabbed by a knife in the back of the neck. ‘The victim suffered no other significant injuries. The body was found in the northern corridors of the school’s west wing.’ That’s all.”

Alex took a brief respite from studying the body to glace up at the rugby player. “Thank you, Fionn. You’ve been a great help.”

Fionn stared. “Oh…r-really? Er, thanks. I suppose.”

Alex set to work, under the watchful eye of Fionn and Ellie. Or rather, the watchful eye of Fionn, at least. Ellie lost interest after a few minutes.

Alex examined the entry wound first. Judging by its depth and the shape of the wound, the victim had been stabbed, confirming the information given in the Monobear File.

“But, if the victim was stabbed with a knife, then where is the knife?” he murmured.

“What did you just say?” Ellie asked.

Alex silenced her with a wave of his hand. “Don’t interrupt.”

Ellie tutted, falling into a sulk.

Alex’s examination of the entry wound brought his head in close proximity to Gráinne’s. A strong, sweet scent of strawberries wafted in through his nose. Was it shampoo, perhaps? Had he not been so near to the corpse’s hair, he wouldn’t have smelled it over the stench of blood. He filed that piece of information away for the time being.

Next, Alex examined the victim’s arms and legs. As referenced in the Monobear File, there were no other injuries present on the victim’s body. But, when Alex searched over the left hand of the corpse, he discovered something trapped in the victim’s clenched fist: a piece of paper. He tried to remove the paper, but rigor mortis had begun to set in, and the victim’s fingers proved difficult to budge.

“Excuse me, but could one of you please help me open her hand?”

Fionn knelt down next to the boy with glasses, saw the paper in Gráinne’s grasp and attempted to prise her fingers open. It was tougher than he had expected, but he succeeded in removing the piece of paper, handing it to Alex and receiving another ‘thank you’ in return.

Ellie watched the two boys curiously.

Alex decided to examine this piece of evidence himself. Upon unfurling the crumpled scrap of paper, he found that it had been a note with smudged words and letters scrawled across it.

It read, _‘Dear Gráinne, I’ll be waiting for you in the lounge at 1:00. Hope to see you there, from Jack Graham Jones.’_

“Intriguing…”

“What? What’s intriguing?” Ellie stuck her head over Alex’s shoulder in an attempt to read the note.

“Get back to your post,” he ordered her, prompting her to stick her tongue out at him.

Next, Alex moved to the right hand of the corpse, where he found something else that was interesting: a splatter of blood, beneath the hand. Indeed, the fingers of said hand were coated in a thick layer of blood. He moved the hand to examine the blood-spatter, and froze.

“Ah,” he muttered. “I see. That _is_ interesting.”

Ellie groaned. “Why do you keep saying things like that? You know it’s just making us want to see it, too!”

Alex relented. He needed their help in determining the validity of this piece of evidence.

“Take a look at these bloody letters,” he told them. “What do you see?”

They leaned in over the corpse, squinting at the patch of blood on the floor beneath her arm.

“I think it says, ‘Jones’,” Fionn muttered.

Ellie gasped. “You mean like _Jack_ Jones? Did she write his name?”

Alex was frowning. “So it would seem…”

“What are you thinking about?” Ellie asked. “Ah, why bother? You’re not going to tell us.”

“…I need help in turning the body over,” was all Alex said.

The two guards obliged, rolling the corpse over onto its back. Fortunately for them, the rigor mortis had not spread fully, and the body was easily shifted around. In death, Fionn supposed, Gráinne looked fairly peaceful. But all of her usual vigour and cheer had long since faded with her life. As they were moving the body, there was a clatter as something slipped out of one of the trouser pockets and hit the floor. Fionn immediately snatched it up.

“I think,” he said, “that this is Gráinne’s ID card.” He switched it on, watching as the words and images flickered into life on the screen. “Yeah, it’s definitely hers.”

“Let me see,” Alex ordered.

The Ultimate Physicist scanned the information on the Ultimate Prefect, pressing a few icons here and there. What he saw made something click in his brain.

“Ah,” he crowed. “My suspicions are confirmed.”

“Look,” Ellie said, having had quite enough of this, “if there’s ever another murder in this place, then I am _not_ puttin’ up with this job again. I mean, this is completely different than in _CSI_.”

Alex ignored her. “I must ask a request of you. Don’t tell anyone about the bloody message. Is that alright?”

Fionn nodded, while Ellied sighed and said, “Fine. But I’m considerin’ that a personal favour, alright?”

“If you must.”

 

*** 

 

Nathan was given a brief tour of the boys’ rooms. He searched around each room as best as he could, but there wasn’t anything in particular that was out of place. Sewing needles in Fionn’s room, flasks and test tubes in Alex’s, and some syringes in Michael’s all stood out in his mind, but Nathan doubted if they had any connection to the murder.

Seán was glaring daggers at the Ultimate Lucky Student’s back as he carelessly tore through his room. “Aren’t you nearly finished?” he asked impatiently.

Nathan ignored the GAA head as he peeked under the bed.

“There’s nothing under there except dirty socks,” Seán informed him. “Now, come on. Get out.”

Nathan relented. As irritating as the Ultimate GAA Head was being, Seán’s room had revealed nothing conclusive. It was now time to move on to the girls’ rooms.

He started with Gráinne’s own room, which had been automatically unlocked after her death. The first thing Nathan noticed as he walked in was how tidy the whole thing was. Even though they had only been in the school for a number of days, most of the boys’ rooms were already messy, with clothes and the like lying about the place carelessly. Gráinne’s room, on the other hand, was perfectly neat and clean. Her sheets were folded and her clothes were carefully hung up in the wardrobe. There was even a pleasant scent of perfume wafting around.

In other words, Nathan reflected, there wouldn’t be any clues in Gráinne’s room, either.

The rest of the girls rooms were just like the boys’: nothing significantly unusual to be found. There was an easel in Niamh’s room, lipstick and other makeup containers strewn about the place in Deirdre’s, a collection of guitar picks lying on Ciara’s desk, notepads with writings and doodles in Louise’s room and a Mayo banner hanging from the ceiling in Ellie’s room. Nathan had grown steadily more frustrated with the lack of progress. There had to be something he’d overlooked.

He sighed. Maybe he should go back and double-check the body. Alex would probably be finished by now. He left the last room and strolled down the corridor that led back to the lounge, heading towards the west wing.

 

*** 

 

Jack led the group of amateur sleuths around the halls, keeping an eye on each one. He was aware that the killer could be among them, and using the opportunity to manipulate the evidence. He deigned to send the students off in pairs to investigate the various areas of the school, in order to avoid such an occurrence. He found himself in the lounge, having sent Aisling and Ciara northwards. Although he didn’t want to neglect his duties, he ended up slumping down onto one of the couches. His mind was still reeling from having found Gráinne’s body. When she hadn’t arrived at the appointed time, he’d already known something had gone wrong. He’d searched the school fervently for any sign of her, only to be horrified when he came across her bloodied corpse.

He rested his head in his hands. It was his fault, of course. He’d agreed to her reckless plan to meet up after Night Time had started. He’d left too many things to chance, and that had ended up causing her death, he was sure. He sighed heavily.

He barely felt the weight shift on the couch. But Ryan’s voice called him out of his thoughts. “Tough day?”

He looked up to see the Ultimate Dancer sitting next to him, with a look of concern etched on his face. Jack nodded, unable to form a verbal response.

Ryan understood. He’d been in a similar situation himself, once. “You liked her, didn’t you?”

Jack nodded again. “That’s why I have to find the person who did this.”

Ryan raised an eyebrow. “And get them executed?”

Jack pursed his lips. “…If that’s what it takes.”

Ryan shrugged and lay back on the couch. “I dunno, Jack. Things have been fairly mad since we got here. And then a murder happens, as well. I think executing someone…it’s just going to make things worse.”

Jack scowled. “You heard the bear. We don’t have a choice.”

“So, you’re giving up?”

Jack tensed. “I’m just trying to get through this mess. After this ‘trial’, I…I won’t let anybody else get hurt. I promise.”

Ryan studied the Ultimate All-Rounder for some time, before he nodded, satisfied with the answer he had received. “By the way,” he said, “I found this in a wastepaper bin.”

He reached into his pockets and fished out a crumpled piece of paper.

“I haven’t read it yet, but I think it’s got something to do with the murder,” Ryan explained.

Jack looked at him questioningly. “Why d’you think that?”

Ryan pointed over to a spot near the wall of the lounge. “I’ve seen the bin against that wall before. But, when I found it a few minutes ago, it was shoved in behind one of those potted plants. Someone threw the paper in the bin and then tried to hide it.”

Jack thought about this fact, before opening up the piece of paper. He recognised the handwriting immediately. “This…is the message I wrote to Gráinne earlier.” He read it aloud, for Ryan’s benefit. _“‘Dear Gráinne, I’ll be waiting for you in my room at 2:00. Just ring the bell and I’ll let you in. Hope to see you there, from Jack Graham Jones.’”_

Ryan’s eyebrows rose upon hearing the contents of the note. Jack was a slyer dog than he’d previously thought. He moved fast, clearly. Maybe that was part of his Ultimate All-Rounder talent? He’d have to watch himself around Jack in future.

“Where did you leave that note, then?” Ryan asked.

“I stuck it onto her door using a piece of Sellotape that I got from my toolbox.”

“Then, how did it get in the bin?”

“Someone must’ve taken the note off of Gráinne’s door. The killer, probably.”

“Then, maybe there’s other clues lying around!” Ryan exclaimed. He shot up off of the couch. “Come on, let’s go look!”

Surprised by the dancer’s sudden burst of energy, Jack shrugged and stood up to join him. “Alright, let’s go.”

But they didn’t even make it out of the lounge before someone cried, “Wait!”

The two boys turned to see Aisling jogging towards them, with Ciara following behind. The boxer held up something long and sharp. “Look what I’ve found!” she cried.

“We searched the bathrooms,” Ciara explained, “and this was what we found.”

Aisling displayed the object for them all to see. It was a large, jagged knife with a fat, black handle. It was caked in blood and gore.

“The murder weapon?” Jack breathed.

Aisling nodded. “I think so. Good thing I ran all the way over here to tell you, right?”

Ryan winced. “You probably shouldn’t be running around with a knife in your hand, hun. What would’ve happened if you tripped?”

Aisling blinked. “Oh, yeah. I hadn’t thought of that.”

Jack sighed. “Just let me hold onto the knife, please.”

Ryan had another question. “You said that you found it in the bathroom. Where was it, exactly?”

“It was in the sink,” Ciara replied. “Under the tap. We thought the killer was trying to wash it off, so we turned the tap on. But no water came out.”

Jack examined the huge blade. “That explains why it’s still covered in blood.”

Ryan cringed away from the knife. He didn’t do too well with blood.

Footsteps came from behind them. They glanced back to see Nathan walking away from the dormitories and towards the west wing.

“Everything alright, Nathan?” Ciara called out to him.

He nodded, but didn’t look back at them. “I’ve got to check something. I’ll be back in a minute.”

His footsteps soon faded away.

Aisling had a concerned look on her face. “Is…he alright, I wonder?”

Jack nodded. “He’ll be fine. He’s the Ultimate Lucky Student, after all.”

 

*** 

 

When Nathan returned to the scene of the murder, Alex was nowhere to be found. The two guards that had been appointed were standing at their posts still, looking as though they’d rather be anywhere else.

Ellie saw the Ultimate Lucky Student coming towards her out of the corner of her eye and smiled pleasantly as he approached. “How’s it goin’, Nathan? What’re you doin’ here?”

“I want to have a look at the body again,” he told her. “Just to be sure.”

Fionn jerked his head slightly. “Go ahead, so.”

Nathan knelt down and scanned the corpse for anything he had missed during his previous, albeit brief, examination. He still felt quite uncomfortable being around a dead body, especially since the body in question had once been his friend. He wondered what Alex had discovered in his own investigation. No doubt he had discovered the bloody letters underneath Gráinne’s right hand, which Nathan and Jack had observed earlier. Something sparked in Nathan’s mind: he had never gotten a chance to examine the _left_ hand before the other students’ arrival interrupted him.

He moved his gaze to Gráinne’s left hand, searching intently for something – anything – that could be a clue. To his excitement, he found it. A glance at the back of the hand revealed the blood beneath the fingernails. The nails themselves were chipped and cracked. The fingernails on Gráinne’s _right_ hand, however, were perfectly filed and immaculately clean. What had happened to her left hand that had damaged her nails like that?

Nathan jumped as the loudspeakers around the school clicked and Monobear’s piercing voice rang out. _“Alllllright, boys and girls! That’s enough investigating! Get your arses down to the entrance hall ASAP!”_

Nathan composed himself, before getting to his feet. “We’d better go. Come on,” he said to the guards.

The three of them walked together to the entrance hall, where they found the rest of the pupils waiting for them. They looked more than a little confused. Why had they been called to this place? What did this have to do with the school trial?

Abruptly, their unspoken questions were answered. The wall that was on the far side of the foyer, opposite the hulking, steel door, suddenly cracked clean in half. Each half separated, zooming further and further apart, opening up to reveal a set of gleaming, white doors. The doors swung open, and on the other side was a set of marble steps, leading down into the darkness. As the students crept towards the stairs, torches flared into life on either side of the steps, illuminating the path downwards.

Jack led the way down the steps, closely followed by Nathan and the other students. The stairs seemed unending. They were being taken down into the depths beneath the school. Finally, after the students all felt the pressure change in their ears, another set of white doors emerged from the gloom.

This was it, Jack knew. Inside, they would commence the ‘school trial’ Monobear had mentioned. If they didn’t figure out who the culprit was before long, the lives of almost everyone in the school would be forfeit. He wasn’t going to let that happen. For Gráinne’s sake, he would unmask the killer.

He pushed open the doors and stepped into the courtroom.


	9. Chapter 1: Either/Or - Part 6

_Triail na Scoile_ -  School Trial

The students walked through the doors and into a wide, circular room with a high ceiling. The courtroom was designed to look like a medieval dungeon; the walls were made of stone slabs, and more torches like the ones outside were perched at regular intervals around the room. The high ceiling and round shape of the room made the students feel like they were trapped at the bottom of a well, with no chance of escape.

Monobear sat on a throne on the far side of the courtroom, from which he could survey the debate that was soon to ensue. In the centre of the chamber was a series of podiums, arranged in a circle, which the students were made to stand at. There were sixteen of them: one for each student. Standing at one of the podiums was a signpost with a picture of Gráinne’s face on it, marked with a large, red ‘X’; even though she was dead, the Ultimate Prefect was still made to take part in Monobear’s farce. Jack and Nathan took the podiums on either side of the signpost, as a gesture of loyalty to their late companion.

“Now that you’re all here,” Monobear began, “I’ll say a few words about how this school trial is going to work. The result of the trial is determined by your own votes. If the correct culprit is chosen, they alone will be punished. However...if the verdict turns out to be incorrect, then everyone _other_ than the culprit will be punished. The culprit, having managed to fool everyone, will graduate this school alone!”

Nathan took a quick glance around the courtroom, examining the faces of his peers. Most of them were looking around the room in turn, likely thinking the same thing that he was. Louise, on the other hand, was scribbling furiously into her notepad. One of these people was a murderer, Nathan thought. But, how would they all go about proving his or her guilt?

Deirdre, the Ultimate Soprano, smiled. “Since no one seems willing to speak up, perhaps Ishould begin this debate? First, the facts: the victim in this case was Gráinne Mahon, the Ultimate Prefect. She was murdered in the west wing of the school, close to the warehouse.” She looked over at Alex. “Have I gotten all of that right so far?”

The physicist nodded.

“Gráinne was killed when the culprit stabbed her in the back of her neck,” Ciara said, continuing the discussion. “She was probably stabbed with a knife that Aisling and I found in the downstairs toilets.”

Jack held up the knife for everyone to see. It was Nathan’s first time seeing the murder weapon, and he cringed at the sight of the filthy blade.

“The shape of this knife is consistent with the shape of the fatal wound,” Alex explained. “This means the probability that the knife was used to murder Gráinne is close to 100%.”

Ciara spoke up again. “That’s not all. We found the knife in the sink, right underneath the taps. But it hadn’t been cleaned.”

Aidan scratched his head in thought. “Why’d the murderer put the knife in the sink if they weren’t going to bother cleaning it?”

“Actually,” Ciara cut in, “me and Aisling tried to turn on the taps a little while ago, but no water came out.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “Really? They were workin' in that bathroom earlier.”

“Oops, did I forget to mention?” Monobear’s cheery voice drew their attention. “Once Night Time has started, none of the water around the school building will work. All the taps, showers, etcetera are turned off.”

“Then the killer didn’t clean the knife because they _couldn’t_ ,” Niamh said.

Aisling frowned. “But, is that all? Were there any clues found at the scene of the crime that might tell us who the killer is?”

Jack spoke up. “As a matter of fact, there were.”

“What are you doing?” Nathan hissed.

Jack muttered back. “Trust me. This was bound to be found out eventually.” He raised his voice as he now addressed the courtroom. “In her last few moments, Gráinne wrote a message, using her own blood as the ink, to try and incriminate her killer.”

Alex stared impassively at the Ultimate All-Rounder, but made no comment.

“The word she wrote…was my name.”

There were cries of alarm from around the room.

“Jack?!”

“She wrote Jack’s name in her own blood!”

“Then… _he_ must be the killer!”

Monobear chuckled. “As a matter of fact, I have a photograph of the crime scene that clearly shows the victim’s dying message. Here it is!” He waved something small and paper-like over his head.

Alex, who was situated close to the throne, snatched the photo from Monobear’s clutches and examined it. “This is indeed consistent with my own investigation,” he said.

Seán glared menacingly at Jack. “Then he _has_ to be the fella who killed Gráinne!”

“He’s guilty!” Orlagh shrieked. “ _Ciontach! Ciontach!_ ”

The cry went up around the room, only being silenced when someone cried, “Hold it!”

Everyone’s heads swivelled around to face Alex, who was hiding a smirk behind the hand he was resting his chin on. “I think you’re all being a bit too hasty. If any of you had bothered to examine the evidence, you would know that Gráinne couldn’t have written that message.”

Ellie frowned. “But her fingers were covered in blood. Her hand was right on top of the message, as well.”

“That only means that the killer used the victim’s own hand to write the message.”

Jack studied the physicist. “Can you prove this claim of yours?”

A small smile was on Alex’s lips as he said, “Yes, I can. Take a look at this.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a Student ID Card. “This is the victim’s card, found at the crime scene.” He switched the card on, before pressing a few icons on the screen. “If we peruse the details on the victim, we find some interesting information.”

Deirdre said, “Spit it out, dear. We’re all listening.”

“According to the victim’s ID card, Gráinne was left-handed.”

Nathan’s eyes widened. “And the message was written using her _right_ hand,” he said, realisation flooding through him.

“Precisely,” Alex said. “In other words, as I previously claimed, the victim could not have written the bloody message.”

Orlagh interjected. “How do we know that she didn’t write it with her right hand, anyway?”

Alex stared uncomprehendingly at her. “…Because, as I have stressed, she was _left-handed_. She wouldn’t have used her right hand if she could have used her left.”

Seán saw his opportunity and pounced. “Then how d’you know that she was able to use her left hand? If _I_ was dying,” he said, in a smug tone, “I wouldn’t be thinkin’ about which hand to write with, I’d just _do_ it.”

Orlagh nodded, pleased that the boy had supported her argument. “She still could’ve used her right hand. For all we know, her left hand was badly injured when the killer attacked her.”

Jack slammed his hands down on the top of his podium. “You’ve got that wrong!” he declared. “The Monobear File states that ‘the victim was killed at 1:05 by being stabbed with a knife in the back of her neck. The victim suffered _no other significant injuries_.’ That means that her left arm was perfectly capable of writing a dying message.”

Orlagh scowled, muttering oaths in Irish under her breath.

Alex took up the argument. “What’s more, she was stabbed through the back of her neck. It’s likely that her death was instantaneous. Ergo,” he said, with an exasperated tone, “Gráinne Mahon could _not_ have written the bloody message. Next topic, please.”

Deirdre spoke, resting her cheek on her hand. “If the murderer is the one who wrote that dreadful message, then why did they write the name _Jones_?”

“They were probably trying to frame him,” Niamh pointed out.

Micheal nodded. “Yeah, yeah, we get that. But why _him_?”

Ellie, who stood standing beside Michael, said, “They could’ve just picked a name at random. _Jones_ is an easy enough name to write in a hurry.”

But Alex shook his head. “No, that’s not why they did it. There existed an important connection between Jack and Gráinne.” Once again, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of evidence. “This piece of paper was found clutched in the victim’s left hand. It’s a note, addressed to the victim.”

“What’s it say?” Ryan asked, a look of suspicion crossing his face.

“It reads, ‘ _Dear Gráinne, I’ll be waiting for you in the lounge at 1:00. Hope to see you there, from Jack Graham Jones.’”_

Jack’s stomach lurched. “You’re not serious.”

“I am _completely_ serious.”

Fionn blinked in surprise. “But…that’s around the time she was killed!”

The suspicious looks and whispers returned.

“Well, Jack?” Alex called out to him. “Do you deny writing this note?”

Jack nodded hurriedly. “I do. And I can prove it, too.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew a note, written on a piece of paper. “This is another note, one that I wrote myself: _‘Dear Gráinne, I’ll be waiting for you in my room at 2:00. Just ring the bell and I’ll let you in. Hope to see you there, from Jack Graham Jones.’”_

“Two notes…?”

“How did that happen?”

“Your middle name is _Graham_?”

Jack nodded. “That’s right. I don’t tell people that very often. In fact, the only person here that I told was Gráinne. I left it on the note as proof that it was me who wrote it.” He sighed. “Not that it made much of a difference, clearly.”

Alex brought everyone’s focus back to the topic at hand. “So, one note directed Gráinne to the lounge at the time of the murder, where she would’ve been vulnerable to attack. The other called her to Jack’s room at a later time, where she would’ve been relatively safe.”

Deirdre smiled knowingly. “I see. If the first note was written by Jack, it casts suspicion on him as the killer. But, if he had written the _second_ note, he would have an alibi for the time of the murder. Thus, he claims that he has written the latter.”

Alex processed this turn of events. “One of those notes would have sent Gráinne to her death if she had read it: the first one.”

Nathan said, “If Gráinne had only read the second note, she would have gone to Jack’s room over an hour after the time when she was actually murdered.”

“And,” said Jack, “if she had managed to read both of them, she would’ve known something was wrong. She would’ve just stayed in her room the whole night.”

“Thus,” Alex concluded, “we can accept the hypothesis that the victim only ever read one of the two notes: the first.”

Aisling screwed up her face as she thought. “So…which one did Jack write?”

Fionn said, “He could’ve written _both_ of them. He’d send the first note to Gráinne, calling her to the lounge. After he’d killed her, he’d write the second note and make an alibi for himself.”

“You’re wrong,” Ryan told him. “I found the second note in a bin that had been hidden behind a plant in the lounge. It was out of sight of most of the room.”

Jack silently thanked the dancer for his help. “If I had written both of the notes, the _second_ note is the one I’d want people to see. I’d hide the first note, instead. But, as Ryan has explained, that’s not what happened.” He placed both hands on the podium, leaning forward to stress his next few words. “I insist that I only wrote the second note.”

“Can you prove that?” Orlagh asked.

Jack swallowed. “I…can’t.”

The Ultimate Gaeilgeoir tutted. “He has no way of supporting his own argument. We’ve no reason to believe him.”

Nathan knew that Jack wasn’t the killer. If he was, then why would he write his own name at the crime scene, incriminating himself? There had to be some evidence that proved Jack didn’t write the first note. He racked his brains, trying to come up with a way to save his friend.

“Alex,” Nathan said eventually, “could I see that note, please?”

The physicist complied, and Nathan walked over to his podium, taking the piece of paper from him when he arrived. On the way back to his own podium, he studied the words furiously. There was something off about the note, but he couldn’t figure out what it was.

Jack helpfully offered the note he had been holding, as well. Nathan accepted it, and placed the two notes side-by-side on top of his podium. The style of the writing on both notes was almost identical: there would be no point in performing a handwriting test. But other than the directions written on the note, there was an unusual difference between the two. A lot of the words written on the first note had been smudged. Had the writer been in a hurry? The second note, in comparison, was practically smudge-free. There was something about those smudges, Nathan reflected, that seemed familiar.

All of a sudden, Nathan had the answer.

“Jack,” he said, surprising himself with the volume of his voice, “which is your dominant hand?”

Jack gave him a puzzled look, but answered the question. “I’m right-handed.”

“And you can prove that using your ID card, right?”

“Yes, I can,” Jack said slowly, unsure of where the Ultimate Lucky Student was going with these questions.

“Then that means that you couldn’t have written the first note,” Nathan said firmly. “There are smudges on the note where the writer’s hand brushed against the ink before it had time to dry. These smudges are characteristic of a left-handed writer.”

Aidan frowned. “You’re sure?”

Nathan nodded. “Positive. I’m…actually left-handed, myself.”

There were concerned mutterings from around the courtroom, but it was Ellie’s voice that rose above the din.

“I’m _so_ confused,” she complained. “Why are there two notes in the first place? Who wrote them?”

“Well, if Nathan’s theory is correct,” Alex said, “then Jack wrote the second note. In which case, judging by the similarities between the two notes, the one we’ve been referring to as the ‘first’ note is actually a forgery – a duplicate of the note that Jack sent to Gráinne – substituted for the real thing.”

“That means…Jack couldn’t have done it,” Aisling realised.

“Exactly,” Alex said. “In fact, it rules out quite a few potential suspects. As Nathan asserts, the only person who could have written that note is left-handed.”

A few people around the room began to look uneasy.

“Hold on a minute,” Fionn said. “Jack, you gave that note to Gráinne, didn’t you? How did it get copied and replaced?”

Jack grimaced. “I didn’t actually give her the note _directly_. I stuck it onto her door using some Sellotape.”

Nathan’s hand connected sharply with his forehead. “Then _anyone_ could’ve walked up to the door and taken it.”

“That explains why the first note is such an accurate copy,” Niamh said. “The killer had the real thing right in front of them.”

Jack frowned. “But, I don’t get it. I rang her doorbell when I left the note. She should’ve opened the door and checked.”

“When, exactly, did you leave the note on her door?” Alex asked.

“Eh…it was about quarter to ten. Just before Night Time started. Everyone was already in their rooms at that point, so I thought it was safe enough to leave the note then.”

Alex pondered the information he had just been given. “I see…”

The courtroom grew quiet again, except for the sound of Louise’s scratching pen. Everyone was stuck on the various, minor details of the case. In a move that surprised everyone, Ellie was the one who broke the silence.

“D’you think she could’ve been taking a shower?” she asked. “I usually take one before I go to bed. Or, I’ve been trying to, anyway. But my shower doesn’t work at night, for some reason.”

Aisling gasped. “That’s right! The water switches off during Night Time!”

Ryan clicked his fingers as he came to a conclusion. “So, if she’d been taking a shower before Night Time started, she couldn’t have heard the doorbell ring!”

Niamh followed on from their conjecturing. “If the killer took Jack’s note and swapped it with the fake _after_ that, it would’ve already become Night Time. Gráinne would’ve been forced out of the shower and she therefore would've been able to hear the doorbell if the killer rang it.”

Alex remembered the smell of shampoo from the corpse, which increased the likelihood of this most recent theory being accurate. He was pleased at the demonstration of logic coming from his classmates. Perhaps he had underestimated their intelligence? “So, what happened was this: Jack left the real note on Gráinne’s door at 9:45, while she was taking a shower. Some time after that, after night had fallen and the showers around the school had all been turned off, the killer stole the note. They then copied it almost exactly, before leaving the fake note on the door and disposed of the genuine article. The killer then rang Gráinne’s doorbell and returned to his or her own room. Gráinne discovered the fake note and, believing it to be from Jack, followed its instructions. Because of that, she was in the lounge at 1:00, where she was confronted by the culprit and killed.”

“There are a few holes in that story,” Orlagh pointed out.

“Yeah,” Aisling agreed. “How did she get murdered near the warehouse if she was ‘confronted’ in the lounge?”

“I don’t think she would’ve wandered off by herself in the middle of the night,” Jack commented. “If she thought she was called by me to the lounge, and then I didn’t show up, she’d just go back to her room again.”

“Then,” said Alex, “she must’ve been chased. The killer attacked her in the lounge, and Gráinne fled. The culprit cornered her by the warehouse and delivered the fatal blow.”

“That’s a long way to run,” Aidan muttered.

“Not if you’re fleeing for your life,” Alex retorted. “And it was there that the killer used Gráinne’s hand to write the bloody message: _Jones_.”

The realisation came to Jack then. He’d just remembered something; something that had earlier struck him as odd. But he’d neglected to pay attention to it in the chaos of the courtroom. At the time…

“Alex,” he said, “could I see that photo of the bloody message that Monobear gave you?”

Without waiting for an answer, Jack strolled over to the Ultimate Physicist and took the photo, before returning to his podium.

Nathan saw Jack scan the photo intensely, searching feverishly for something. All eyes in the courtroom were on the Ultimate All-Rounder as he grinned and said, “I have it! The piece of decisive evidence that proves once and for all who the true culprit is!”

That was a bold statement for anyone to make, Nathan knew. What had Jack found that had made him so confident?

Jack gave the photograph over to Nathan, saying, “Pass it around the circle, Nate. I want everyone to have a look at this picture.”

Nathan studied the picture for a whole twenty seconds before he passed it on to Ciara. He hadn’t spotted anything that he hadn’t noticed during his investigation. The Ultimate Guitarist passed the photo onto Fionn, looking about as confused as Nathan felt. From Fionn, it went to Ellie, then to Michael. The photograph went around the circle, with each person who examined it being just as baffled as the last. Just as the photo was about to complete a full lap of the room, Jack called for it to be given back.

“Thank you, Deirdre, but I think everyone’s seen enough.” He wandered over to the Ultimate Soprano’s podium, taking the photo out of her hands. He ignored a glare from Seán, who hadn’t gotten a chance to see the picture, and even Louise briefly looked up from her note-taking to give Jack a disappointed look as he passed.

Jack stood back at his podium and remained silent.

“…Well?” Ellie prompted. “Aren’t you going to tell us what the ‘decisive evidence’ is?”

“Oh, that?” Jack chuckled. “There isn’t any.”

Alex was taken completely off-guard. “What.”

Seán exploded. “What the fuck was the point of _that_ , then?!” he shouted. “Why’d you spend so much of our time only to blow us off at the last minute?! What a fuckin’ waste!”

Jack shook his head. “It wasn’t a waste, believe me. I had a reason for doing all that just now. But first, I have a question for Ms. Deirdre Callaghan.”

Deirdre smiled politely. “Me? Whatever could you want to know?”

“It’s simple,” Jack replied. “How did you know about the bloody message?”

Her smile froze. “I’m sorry?”

“It was earlier on in the trial. You wondered why the killer would write the name _Jones_ using Gráinne’s hand. The question is, how did you know that the killer wrote my surname?”

She raised her hand to her cheek in surprise. “I…beg your pardon? Y-you told us at the start of the trial that the victim had left a bloody message with your name in it!”

Louise spoke up for the first time since the trial had begun. “Actually, I’ve been acting as a sort of stenographer for this trial, so I’ve been keeping a record of everything that’s been said. I just looked over the start of the trial, and the first person to mention that the bloody message was Jack’s _surname_ was Deirdre. Everyone before her said only that it was Jack’s _name_.”

Jack continued on. “There were a very limited number of people who could’ve known about that message before they entered this room. There was myself and Nathan, who examined the body first. Then, there was Alex, who conducted his own examination of Gráinne’s corpse. I imagine that Fionn and Ellie caught a glimpse of the message at that time. But Nathan and I went off around the school, with the rest of the students in tow, before anyone else could see the message.” Jack glanced at Orlagh. “You were partnered up with Deirdre at the time, weren’t you?”

Orlagh nodded, staring at the soprano as though she had just grown an extra head. “We went to investigate the foyer and classrooms in the west wing. She didn’t go anywhere near the crime scene. I was with her until we came down _anseo.”_

Alex said, “And if the guards kept their mouths shut…”

“Which we did,” Fionn informed him.

“…Then they didn’t tell anyone about the message, either.”

Ellie nodded. “Not a soul.”

“The only time you could’ve seen that bloody message - and therefore known that my surname was written in it - is when you wrote it yourself.”

As one, the students turned to face Deirdre, whose superior demeanour was now beginning to waver. “Th-this is…preposterous! I…would never…”

Seán was glaring at her through narrowed eyes. “I _saw_ you! Yesterday evenin’, after that stupid meetin’ that the dead girl organised. I was going off to the hurling alley, but I saw you hiding near the lounge. I was watching you for a minute, but you didn’t move. Then you went into the refectory.” He bared his teeth. “I thought you were just bein’ a weirdo, but that’s when you got the knife, isn’t it? The one you stabbed her with!”

“And I bet you were listening in on my conversation with Gráinne in the lounge,” Jack said. “That was when I told her I’d leave a note on her door. That’s how you knew to steal and replace it.”

There was a smile on Deirdre’s face now, but it looked wrong. Too many of her teeth were showing, and her eyes expressed the depths of her panic. “This is all just…just baseless speculation! You’re all turning on me because _he_ put the idea in your heads!” She pointed indignantly at Jack. “ _He’s_ the guilty one, not me! And you can’t prove that I was the one who killed her, either!”

“As a matter of interest, Deirdre,” Alex said softly, “are you left-handed?”

She flinched, with one hand clutching madly at her face.

The physicist smiled in triumph.

“Th-that…could only prove that I wrote the note!” Deirdre cried. “All this time you’ve been assuming that the person who made the fake note was the culprit. For all you know, the killer could have been lying in wait for Gráinne to arrive after seeing someone else write the note!”

It was a weak argument, and everyone knew it. There were shouts of protest from nearly all of the other students, as well as a burst of maniacal laughter from Monobear, but one cry sounded out above the rest.

“Shut up!” Nathan bellowed. “You wrote the fake message _and_ killed Gráinne! And I’ll prove it, too!”

“You’re bluffing!” Deirdre shrieked. “That proof doesn’t exist!”

“No,” Nathan yelled, “that’s wrong! When I was examining the crime scene, I found something that the others had overlooked: there were traces of blood underneath the fingernails on Gráinne’s left hand. As well as that, the nails on her other hand were perfectly clean. Since there were no marks on her body that indicated she had scratched herself, we can conclude that she must have struck out at her killer, injuring them.” Nathan stared down the soprano. “And I’ve noticed how you keep touching your cheek. Almost like you’re in pain.”

Deirdre’s eye twitched.

Michael squinted at the soprano's face. “I dunno, Nathan. I can’t see any sign of a cut or a scratch. She looks the same as she always does.”

Deirdre laughed hysterically. “You see! I have no injury, so there’s no way that you can connect me to this murder! NONE!” she screamed.

“Actually,” Nathan said defiantly, “your lack of a wound is the very proof that’ll finish you off for good!

“Wh-what?!”

“When I investigated your bedroom, I found makeup containers thrown all over the place. They looked like they’d been used fairly recently.”

“So?! Plenty of women wear makeup!” Deirdre cried.

But Nathan shook his head. “But how many of them put on makeup in the _middle of the night_? They’ve only just woken up, after all. I wonder how many of the girls present are wearing makeup right now?”

Ciara had a light scowl on her face. “I didn’t get a chance to, since the body was discovered…wait a minute!”

“The fact that those makeup containers had been recently used shows that you’re currently wearing makeup!” Nathan told Deirdre. “Once we wipe all that stuff off, it’ll reveal the scars from Gráinne’s attack.”

Deirdre’s body was shaking. “No…no…nononono…”

Jack faced the Ultimate Lucky Student once more. “Tell us what happened this evening one more time, Nathan. That’ll clear this mess up.”

Nathan nodded. “Alright. At around eight o’clock, Gráinne asked Jack to meet her in the middle of the night. But they didn’t realise that the culprit was hiding around the corner, eavesdropping on their conversation. The culprit then stole a knife from the refectory. At around a quarter to ten, Jack left a note outside Gráinne’s door, telling her to meet him at two o’clock, in his room. The culprit intercepted the note and duplicated it, putting the original message into a wastepaper bin in the lounge, which they then hid. Since the culprit was left-handed, smudges were left on the fake note where their hand rubbed against the wet ink. The forged note said to meet at one o’clock in the lounge. Gráinne discovered the forged note, believing it to be the real thing. Because of that, she left her room at 1:00, closely followed by the culprit. The culprit attacked Gráinne in the lounge, who retaliated by scratching the culprit’s face, injuring them. She fled through the halls of the school, with the culprit close behind. The culprit caught up to her again near the warehouse, before stabbing her with the knife from the refectory. After Gráinne had died, the culprit used her lifeless hand to write a bloody message framing Jack Jones for the murder. However, the culprit didn’t know that the victim was left-handed, and mistakenly used her right hand to create the message. After attempting in vain to clean the murder weapon in the bathroom, the culprit returned to their room, where they used makeup to cover the injury that Gráinne had given them. They left the makeup out, unattended, when the body was discovered just after two o’clock. The only student who fits all of the criteria is _you_ , Deirdre Callaghan!” Nathan gasped. It had been a lot of words, but he had managed to convey his own argument, and that of the other students, as best he could. Now all he had to do was see how the true killer would react.

He had been expecting screams, tears, possibly even a tantrum. But all the fight in Deirdre was gone. She slumped, dejection written all over her face.

“Very well,” she said, so quietly that the other students had to strain to hear her. “You win.”

Before anyone else could say anything, Monobear chirped from atop his throne. “Alright! It seems you’ve all made your decision. Please, cast your vote for the culprit using the screen on your podium.”

A section atop each student’s podium that had previously been dark and grey suddenly lit up with colour - a screen. A set of sixteen portraits, one of each student, appeared upon the screen. And every student thumbed the icon representing Deirdre Callaghan.

Monobear cheered. “Now, it’s time to tally the votes. And…wow! Deirdre Callaghan’s won by a landslide! Lucky you, because she was _indeed_ the murderer of Gráinne Mahon. Looks like nobody’s going home tonight!”

Alex glanced over at Jack. “Are you ever going to tell us what the point of that exercise was?”

“You mean when I told everyone to look at the photograph? I wanted to see how the killer would react when they thought they were holding vital evidence. Out of all of you, Deirdre was the one who acted the most suspicious. Her eyes were darting around and she couldn’t stand still. When I took the photo back from her, I ‘accidentally’ touched her hand. Her palms were sweating. That gave me the confidence to support my argument. But now…” Jack glared at the Ultimate Soprano, the person who had killed the person who’d been closest to him in the school. He had to know one thing.

“Why’d you do it?” he asked.

Deirdre looked up, meeting the all-rounder’s angry gaze. “I had to kill someone. It didn’t matter who it was. I wanted– I _needed_ to get out of this place. I had known that from the very start, but no one else seemed brave enough to take matters into their own hands. When Monobear brought up the incentive of publishing those photographs, I panicked. I had to find someone to murder as fast as I could. I overheard the conversation between you and her earlier this evening, and I made my decision then. I would interfere with the message you were going to leave on her door, then trick her into leaving the safety of her room. I made to strike, but that bitch clawed at my beautiful face. Then she ran off. I knew I couldn’t let her get away, so I hunted her down. She must have taken a wrong turn somewhere, because she ran into a dead end. I stabbed her,” she said, as though she were talking about what she’d had for dinner. “Nathan is right, of course. I hid the scratches beneath my makeup. If I had known the body would be found so quickly, I would have hurried up and hid the containers.”

The other students were looking at Deirdre with disgust and disdain. She didn’t care: they were all beneath her, anyway. She was untouchable. And then Monobear did the unthinkable.

“For those of you who were wondering,” he said brightly, “I’ve got Deirdre’s embarrassing picture right here!”

He thumbed a switch on the side of his throne, and a massive image was projected onto the wall above his head. It was a picture of a young girl with raven hair, clutching tightly onto a bottle of whiskey. She was lying in a pool of what proved to be her own vomit. She was crying, with tears and makeup streaming down her face.

Deirdre dropped her gaze, her beautiful façade shattered. “My reputation,” she whispered. A single tear fell from her face. She took a deep, shuddering breath, and held it.

When the Ultimate Soprano raised her head again, her polite smile had returned. “I accept defeat,” she said, with world-class poise. “And therefore, I accept my punishment. Do not grieve for me. When you remember me, think only of my good deeds, of which there were admittedly few.” She turned to address the principal. “Lead on, Monobear. I follow.”

Monobear chuckled. “Upupupu…will you be acting so chipper when you see what’s coming for you?”

He pressed another switch, one that had been sitting in front of his throne the whole time. In response, a section of the courtroom’s wall slid away, revealing a dark tunnel through which Deirdre stepped without glancing back.

Monobear gestured to the other students, and they hesitantly followed the soprano through the hole in the wall. Darkness enshrouded them, and they lost sight of Deirdre. Just when they began to grow fearful, a cheerful voice sounded out.

“Let’s give it everything we’ve got!” Monobear cried. “Iiiiiiit’s _punishment time!_ ”

The lights switched on. The students found themselves standing in a theatre, or a concert hall, with rows of seats stretching out behind them up to the back of the room. The tunnel they had walked through emerged in the cheap seats, in which the students were invited to sit down in by Monobear. Before them was the stage, and just below the stage was the orchestra pit. The students heard instruments tuning up, although they were unable to see down into the pit from their disadvantaged position. All of a sudden, there was a deafening sound of music from the orchestra as a song began. A pair of spotlights pivoted and pointed upwards, focusing on a platform that was suspended high above the stage. The students who squinted hard at the platform were able to make out the figure of a woman in a shiny, red dress standing on top of it.

Deirdre smiled out at the concert hall. Although very few had gathered to watch her perform, she appreciated the thoughts and efforts of every one.

Far below her, music swelled. It was a song Deirdre knew well. She sang, projecting her heavenly voice out across the theatre.

_“When you walk through a_ _storm, hold your head up high. And don't be afraid of the dark…”_

Although the song was somewhat clichéd, it still warmed her heart to be able to sing it one final time.

_“At the end of the storm, there's a golden sky and the sweet silver song of a lark…”_

Not one to be afraid of heights, Deirdre did not feel inordinately afraid once the platform she was standing on began to slowly descend.

_“Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain, though your dreams be tossed and blown…”_

The music grew louder, and Deirdre raised her voice, refusing to be drowned out during her last, great performance.

_“Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart and you'll never walk alone…”_

She braced herself for the song’s climax, filling her lungs with what would prove to be her final breath.

_“You'll ne-”_

Deirdre never saw the sledgehammer coming. It dropped from the ceiling behind her, swinging downwards. It struck her hard in the small of her back and the note of triumph and passion she had hit turned into a shrill and terrified scream as she toppled forward off the platform.

She fell headfirst towards the orchestra pit, and noticed for the first time its contents: there were no instruments. The musical accompaniment had been coming from a pair of huge speakers on either side of the stage. The pit, on the other hand, was filled with giant sawblades and sharp, pointed spikes. Monobear was conducting the “orchestra” and his depraved face was one of the last things Deirdre ever saw as she hurtled downwards into the pit.

Chaos erupted around Nathan as the students screamed and cursed at the sight of Deirdre falling into the orchestra pit. Although she was lost from their view, the horrifying sound of the Ultimate Soprano’s body being torn apart by sawblades and spears, along with the fountain of blood that gushed from the pit, would remain in their nightmares nonetheless.

Monobear leaped out of the orchestra pit, baton in hand, and took a bow.

“Wasn’t that great, ladies and gents? I like to call _that_ execution ‘Fallen from Stardom!’ I’m sorry, but you know the Monobear Theatre’s policy: no encores and _absolutely_ no refunds!”

Nathan felt sick to his stomach. He fell to his knees, feeling himself dry-heave. He wasn’t alone in his reaction. Some of the other students were still screaming.

Monobear’s evil smile dropped and was replaced by an angry scowl. “Oh, come on! What are you brats so upset about? It’s not like she didn’t _deserve_ it!”

“What the hell gives _you_ the right to decide who deserves to live?!” Jack snarled. “You bastard!”

Monobear tilted his head, surveying the angry boy in front of him. “That’s odd. I would’ve thought _you,_ of all people, would be happy to see the pretty songbird die. After all, she did murder your little squeeze.”

Jack’s hands clenched into fists. “Don’t you fucking _dare_ talk about Gráinne like that!”

“Aww, look, he’s throwing a little tantrum,” Monobear cooed, in a sickeningly sweet voice. Suddenly, the bear’s face was transformed by fury. “You bastards think I actually _care_ about how you feel?! You’re all trapped in _my_ school, so that makes you _my_ property! I can do whatever I want with you, and you’ll just have to sit back and take it!” He huffed and puffed. “Wowee! I really lost my temper, didn’t I? You kids head off, now! It’s past your bedtime! Go on, _scram!_ ”

The students were forced back into the tunnel. Once they had returned to the courtroom, the wall sealed shut behind them with a resounding _boom_.

 

 

** 14 STUDENTS REMAINING: **

Ultimate Model – Niamh Clarke

Ultimate Physicist – Alex Coleman

Ultimate Surfer – Aidan Collins

Ultimate GAA Head – Seán Gleeson

Ultimate Rugby Star – Fionn Healey

Ultimate Dancer – Ryan Jackson

Ultimate All-Rounder – Jack Jones

Ultimate Guitarist – Ciara Maguire

Ultimate Gaeilgeoir – Orlagh McNamara

Ultimate Lucky Student – Nathan Murphy

Ultimate Farmer – Ellie O’Donaghue

Ultimate Vet – Michael Reynolds

Ultimate Journalist – Louise Smythe

Ultimate Boxer – Aisling Taggart


	10. Chapter 2: Despair Conditioning - Part 1

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

The long walk back up to the foyer was carried out in silence. Everyone was struggling to clear their minds of the horrific images that had just passed before their eyes. Few of them succeeded.

When they had all stepped out into the foyer, the wall sealed shut behind them, closing off the passage to the courtroom. Until the next time.

Even still, nobody spoke. What they had just seen, what had just happened to one of their companions, it was too much. Deirdre may have been difficult to get along with, possibly even stuck-up, as well as a murderer. But she didn’t deserve to have her life taken away from her. Especially not in such a brutal manner.

Jack was just as reticent as the others. He had wanted so badly to take down Gráinne’s murderer, regardless of who it may have been. In Jack’s mind, the murderer had taken the form of a vague, shadowy figure – an evil monster that had cruelly taken Gráinne away from him. But, during the trial, the culprit’s true shape had been made evident; she was just a normal person, like himself. Granted, he hadn’t liked Deirdre very much, but it still hurt him to see her fall from that platform and meet her demise in such a grisly fashion.

But the trial, as well as the other events of the evening, had made one thing quite clear to the Ultimate All-Rounder: _anyone_ could be a killer, if given the necessary push. He knew it would be his job to make certain that that ‘push’ would never be delivered. Deirdre was far from being a nice person, but she hadn’t been a killer. Not naturally. But once despair takes root, it warps the subject’s nature. If it came to it, could Jack be warped in the same way? Could he be made to kill someone? The thoughts that bounded around inside his skull made him feel sick.

At last, Aidan broke the dreadful silence with just four words: “I’m going to bed.” His voice was monotonous and dull.

No one responded verbally to his statement, but the students seemed to agree with the surfer’s idea. Perhaps some sleep would cure their minds of the despair that had taken hold?

In time, every student went back to their respective rooms. But the horror of what they had all seen and heard, as well as the guilt of having sent one of their classmates to her death, made sleep elusive.

 

*** 

 

_“Good morning, you pathetic brats! It’s seven o’clock in the morning. Time to wake up and seize the day!”_

Monobear’s usual morning announcement forced Nathan’s eyes open. He must’ve fallen asleep at some point, but the feverish frenzy of his thoughts had made it difficult to tell the difference between dream and reality. But he knew it was a fact that Deirdre and Gráinne were gone, stolen away in the night by the reaper. Except, in this case, the reaper had one glowing, red eye and a mouthful of sharp teeth.

He pushed the covers off of himself and limped over to the bathroom. The stiffness in his legs and shoulders had now faded, to his relief. The only pain left now was the grief and shock he felt at losing two of his companions. Although he hadn’t really gotten to know Deirdre, Gráinne had been a shining beacon of hope amidst the despair of life in St. Elpis’. Even in the brief time he’d known her, she’d made quite an impression on both him and the other students. No wonder Jack had been so taken with her.

He winced. If the two deaths were making _him_ feel so wretched, he couldn’t imagine what the Ultimate All-Rounder was going through. He turned on the shower, feeling the fresh blast of hot water against his skin. Not even a warm shower could ease his weariness or anxiety. It only made his mind fuzzy and his eyes began to droop. He gritted his teeth and twisted the dial towards the blue, almost crying out when the soothing, warm water turned frigid.

A few minutes later, Nathan stepped out of the shower, feeling slightly less tired and anxious than he’d been before he had entered. He snatched a towel off the railing and wrapped it tightly around his waist. He walked back out into the bedroom, walking back towards his bed. He wanted to lie down on the sheets and relax, not worrying about breakfast. But, as he crossed the room, he walked past the full-length mirror on his wall.

And stopped.

And stared.

Nathan Murphy was a scrawny second-year of average height. He’d never had much time for sports, and had never been to a gym in his life. Granted, he’d been planning to start when he enrolled in St. Elpis’; the school had its own leisure centre and its physical education course was a guaranteed success, just like all of the other courses in the school. But all that had been thrown out the window when he got dragged into this school of mutual killing and despair.

Those were the facts as he knew them. But what he saw in the mirror didn’t match up with them.

His arms were what he noticed first. They were lithe and wiry, an improvement from the bony limbs he’d had since childhood. He couldn’t help but flex one of them self-consciously, and he was amazed by the response. He felt the muscles working beneath his flesh, tight and firm.

The last time he’d checked, his belly had been flat and unimpressive, and his ribcage had been clearly visible under the skin. His ribs were now almost unseen beneath his smooth upper body, and his abdomen had undergone a similar change.

Just for good measure, he tossed the towel aside and studied his legs. He’d had a look at them plenty of times over the last few days due to the stiffness he’d felt. But he’d clearly never paid enough attention to them, because they’d grown, as well. There was little fat to be found on them anymore. And both legs were now covered in a coat of dark hair, as were his forearms.

Even his face had changed. It was still recognisable as his own, but his jawline and his cheekbones had become more prominent. His eyes were the same shade of blue as always, but they were different in a way that he couldn’t explain. Even his hairstyle had changed. He’d always hated getting haircuts, and he’d been left with messy, slightly curly, brown hair as a result. But now his hair was shorter, tidier. His curls were barely noticeable.

Nathan stood, transfixed by his own reflection. In all the chaos and confusion of the first few days at St. Elpis’ College, he’d never really gotten a chance to study himself. Had he really been so blind as to not notice how much he had changed? The boy standing in the mirror wasn’t a scrawny second-year, although he was still admittedly on the slender side. He was definitely more than five-and-a-half feet tall. Maybe, in all the excitement of the few weeks leading up to his arrival in St. Elpis’, he’d undergone a growth spurt? If so, his parents hadn’t said anything about it. This growth was unnatural: someone would’ve _had_ to have noticed. How did he, of all people, not realise how much he had changed in such a short space of time? He couldn’t have _not_ noticed.

Something bizarre was going on, Nathan knew. Unless it was his imagination, he’d gone into the school as a small, skinny boy and, when he’d gotten inside, he’d somehow changed into what he saw now. Impossible, right?

Or was it? He remembered the lingering stiffness in his joints and muscles, and particularly in his shoulders and legs. That had started _after_ he’d woken up in the school. Had they been growing pains? Or had he just not been used to walking around in his suddenly-larger body?

Nathan scowled, and the person in the mirror scowled back. He suspected Monobear had something to do with this. Or whoever it was that was controlling the wicked bear. _They_ were the one who had trapped them all in this terrible place. It was only reasonable that they’d be responsible for his transformation. He decided that he’d check with some of the other students to see if they’d noticed any changes in their bodies since arriving. Maybe they’d experienced something similar? Or would they just think he was insane?

Nathan felt scared. He was frightened by whoever, or _what_ ever could cause such a dramatic change in his physical appearance. Granted, it wasn’t as though the change wasn’t an improvement. He rather _liked_ this new version of himself. He was still a lot smaller than some of the other lads in the school, but he was nonetheless pleased by how much he'd grown. But, regardless of that, this revelation was a startling one. Evidently, there was more going on behind the scenes of this nightmare than he had realised.

 

*** 

 

Despite the lack of Gráinne’s presence at the table, the students felt obligated to attend breakfast at the usual time. Nathan hurried into the refectory just after 7:35 to find most of the others there. He quickly poured himself a bowl of cereal and sat down next to Jack, who was eyeing him curiously.

“You’re not usually so late,” he commented. “You’re nearly always down here before me.”

Nathan didn’t meet his eye. He couldn’t admit to Jack that he’d just spent most of the last half-hour staring at himself naked in the mirror. He hastily came up with a half-truth of an excuse. “I’m sorry. With everything that happened last night, well…I didn’t sleep much. I would’ve been down here sooner if I wasn’t so tired.”

Jack nodded glumly. “Yeah, I know how you feel. But…I’m not going to let anyone else die in this place, alright? That includes you.”

Nathan nodded. “I’ll help as much as I can.”

The Ultimate All-Rounder smiled. “Thanks, Nate.”

Once everyone had finished breakfast, they all filed outside the refectory, only to come face-to-face with their principal.

“Hey there, you little killing machines!” Monobear exclaimed. “Guess what? I’ve got great news for you! Since you all performed so well last night, I’ve decided to give you a reward!”

Jack bristled. “‘Killing machines?’ The only killing machine I see around here is _you_!”

Monobear folded his arms crossly. “How rude! I’m no mere machine! I’m _Monobear_! Accept no substitutions! And believe me, you _are_ all killing machines! How else could you turn on your fellow student and have her executed?”

“Th-that wasn’t our fault!” Seán said.

“Yeah!” Aisling cried. “ _You’re_ the one who forced us into it!”

“She never even would’ve killed anyone if you hadn’t created this sick game of yours!” Jack shouted at the grinning bear. “The person ultimately responsible for Deirdre and Gráinne’s deaths is _you_!”

“Upupupupu!” Monobear giggled. “‘Ultimately?’ That’s a funny word for one of _you_ to be throwing around! Don’t you bastards have any sense of irony? Now, come on. Don’t you want to hear about this reward that I’m giving you ungrateful wretches?”

Jack made to step forward, but Nathan grabbed his arm and held him still, shaking his head firmly when the all-rounder turned his head to look at him. “Just leave it,” he said.

Jack shrugged out of the Ultimate Lucky Student’s grip, but stayed where he was.

“Now, then…” Monobear clapped his paws together sharply, and there was an answering noise from somewhere else in the building. “I’ve just opened up some closed-off areas around the school. If you saw somewhere earlier that you couldn’t get to before, try heading there now and seeing what you find! That is all,” he said finally, before performing another of his mysterious disappearing acts.

No one seemed to want to make the first move, so Orlagh stepped forwards. “Very well, then. I propose that we all split up and proceed to explore the unlocked areas _ar luas lasrach_.”

Seán fixed Orlagh with an aggressive look. “Who died and made you the one in charge?”

Fionn glanced at him. “Did you _really_ just say that?”

Orlagh cleared her throat. “Ahem-hem. As I was saying, we should divide up into groups. I’m sure you’re all aware that the first floor should now be open to us. Let’s all have a productive day! _Leanaigí ar aghaidh!”_

She marched off down the corridor, leaving the bewildered students behind.

“…Did that just happen?” Aidan asked.

“Is she tryin’ to take Gráinne’s place, or what?” Ellie mused.

Niamh muttered, “She never actually _told_ us which groups to divide into.”

Seán shrugged his shoulders. “Why does it matter? We don’t have to listen to _her_ , anyway. I’m goin’ back to my room.” He departed, heading towards the dormitory area.

Jack sighed, before addressing the remaining students. “We might as well head upstairs and see what’s going on. Is that alright with everyone?”

There was a chorus of assent, prompting him to say, “Let’s go, then.”

Jack led the pupils up the stairs next to the foyer, up two flights until they came out on a carpeted landing, complete with couches and potted plants.

“Another lounge,” Nathan murmured. This one was smaller than the one by the dorms back on the ground floor.

Ahead of them, there were three corridors than branched away from the first floor lounge. The path that led to the right was closed off with the same steel shutters that had once blocked the path to the stairs on the ground floor.

Fionn glared at the shutters. “What the hell? I thought that Monobear freak just told us that the closed-off areas had been opened up? Why is _that_ place still locked?”

“ _I_ can answer that!” a voice squeaked from behind them.

Those nearest the back of the group cried out as Monobear barged past them.

“Make way, make way! Busy bear, comin’ through!” He waddled over to the shutters. “Now then, Mister Rugby Star. If you had listened to me when I told you only five minutes ago that _some_ closed-off areas in the school had been opened up, maybe you wouldn’t be so surprised, hmm?” He gestured to the shutters behind him. “This way leads to the first floor dormitories. I can’t go letting you dumb folks wander around in there willy-nilly! So that way’s still closed-off. You can’t get in there from the ground floor, either. And, if you’ll look to your left…” Monobear directed them to another flight of stairs, leading upwards and away from the first floor. “…You’ll see the stairway to the second floor. I’m not letting you up _there_ just yet, either!” He indicated a point about halfway up the staircase, which had been coated in barricade tape, effectively preventing access.

Aidan raised an eyebrow as he stared at the taped-up staircase. “And what’s stopping us from just cutting down the tape?”

“Why, _me_ , of course!” Monobear declared triumphantly. “If I catch anyone trying to get through that tape, I’ll make sure they regret it! In fact, why don’t I just make that a new school rule? _Any student caught breaking into a closed-off area will be severely disciplined._ How does that sound?”

Nobody knew how to respond to the bear’s cheerful promises of pain, and so he cried, “Farewell, you stupid idiots!” and vanished.

“Well,” Jack said, once Monobear was gone, “which way should we go?”

Alex pointed off down to the left. “By my observations, there’s another set of classrooms that way, just like those on the ground floor.”

“Then we might as well go straight on,” Jack concluded.

He led them all forwards, out of the lounge and down another hallway. Eventually, they came to a fork in the path. One way was signposted ‘To Library’, the other ‘To Leisure Centre’.

The group started to move left, towards the latter direction, but a voice called out, “This is where I must leave you.”

Alex walked away from the other students, past the former sign. “I don’t care much for ‘leisure centres’ and the like. I’ll see you all at dinner.”

Niamh ran after him. “Wait for me, Al,” she called.

Their footsteps echoed away down the hall as the rest of the pupils headed towards the leisure centre. Nathan could feel the excitement building amongst the students. Some of the lads (and Aisling) even let out a cry of delight upon seeing the gym when they came across it. Their joy was short-lived, however, as Orlagh came stomping furiously around the corner.

“I _thought_ I told you all to divide up into groups and go exploring?” she snapped. “You were supposed to follow me! I’m the new leader now, _an dtuigeann sibh?_ ”

After the embarrassed pause that followed Orlagh’s shrill declaration, Aidan said, “We _did_ split into groups. Alex and Niamh went to the library and the rest of us came here.”

The Gaeilgeoir’s nostrils flared. “Don’t you get smart with me, Mr. Collins! You knew _perfectly_ well what I meant!”

Michael stepped forwards, hand raised in a gesture of peace. “Look, we all had a hard time last night. I think we should calm down, and-”

But Orlagh’s fury turned on him, instead. “What do _you_ know?” she shrieked. “You’re taking _his_ side on this matter?”

Michael retreated, eyes full of fear. Jack took his place, standing between Orlagh and the rest of the group.

“Orlagh, listen,” he pleaded. “You’re being unreasonable.”

A vein flared in the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir’s temple. “How _very_ dare you?! I’m the only one who’s taking charge here!”

Ellie passed a comment. “Actually, Jack’s been taking charge this morning, too. And _he’s_ doing a good job at it.”

Jack glanced back over his shoulder at the farmer, shaking his head. “Ellie, you’re not helping.”

But Orlagh had heard enough. “So you’re all turning against me, is that it?!

Jack tried to protest, but Orlagh cut him off. “Well, I see how it is! If you won’t listen to me, then…then…there’s no point in me even being here!” And with that haughty ultimatum, she swept past them and launched herself down the corridor behind them. She didn’t look back.

Fionn watched her go with an expression of incredulity. “What is that child’s problem?” he said.

Jack’s face was much more solemn. “I think she took the events of last night badly. We should probably just leave her alone for the moment.”

Ryan ran over to a large window beside the gym entrance. “In other news, guess what I found?” he cried, beckoning them all to the window.

On the other side of the huge pane of glass was a giant room with a high ceiling. The walls of the room stretched downwards, to the ground floor. There, the students saw a massive, Olympic-sized swimming pool, the water of which seemed to glisten in the lights from the ceiling far above.

Aidan gaped. “How’d we not notice this before?”

“Actually,” Louise said, flicking through her notepad for reference, “myself and several of the others found a locked room on the ground floor a few days ago, next to the football pitch. We couldn’t see what was inside it.”

Ciara couldn’t drag her eyes away from the pool as she said, “I think we’re above the pitch right now.”

Ryan was grinning gleefully. “Which means that the pool is behind that door Louise found.” He turned to Aidan, who had a similar expression on his usually tired-looking face. “Meet you down there in five minutes. I have to grab my swimming togs.”

Aidan nodded, before the two of them sped off in the direction they had come from only a few minutes beforehand.

Ciara pulled herself away from the glass, saying, “I’m going to go join them.”

Louise smiled. “I think I’d fancy a dip, myself.”

Ellie giggled. “I just bought a new bikini that I’ve been _dying_ to wear!”

The other students all seemed thrilled at the prospect of having their own swimming pool. Even Jack, who had been particularly sombre this morning, brightened considerably.

“What d’you think?” Nathan asked his friend. “Will we go for a swim?”

Jack grinned. “I’d love to,” he said.


	11. Chapter 2: Despair Conditioning - Part 2

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

Ryan stretched his arms out over his head and dived, the cool water swallowing him up. He soared down to the bottom of the pool, feeling the pressure build in his ears, and pushed himself off of the floor. He rose rapidly back up again, breaking the surface with a gasp. It had been far too long since the last time he’d gone swimming. Although his place was usually on stage, Ryan still loved the water. All in all, he hadn’t been so happy since he’d arrived in this messed-up school.

And best of all, he’d found some attractive young folks to join him in the pool. The Ultimate Boxer was sitting down on the edge of the pool, not far from where Ryan was treading water. She had donned a small, two-piece swimsuit that showed off her athletic physique. His eyes were drawn to her supple legs, dangling into the water.

All of a sudden, Aisling’s head swivelled around and she stared directly at Ryan. “Just because you’re wearing goggles,” she said irritably, “doesn’t mean I don’t know you’re watching me.”

He’d been found out. Oh, well. He’d have a look at someone else, instead. Ellie’s bikini proved to be just as alluring as she’d been implying, and even Louise was drop-dead gorgeous in her tight-fitting swimsuit. But Ryan’s gaze lingered on Aidan, who had dived straight into one of the lanes and was swimming lengths up and down the pool. His well-muscled arms crashed out of the water, before plunging back down, propelling him forward. His body moved smoothly and quickly through the water. He reached the end of the lane and took a breather, his broad shoulders heaving up and down. His eyes flickered over to Ryan, who hurriedly gave him a thumbs-up. Aidan grinned in response, before pulling his goggles over his eyes and diving back down under the surface once more.

Ryan was in heaven.

Meanwhile, Jack strolled out of the changing room, with Nathan in tow. Nathan had been told that there was a swimming pool in St. Elpis’ after being accepted into the school, so he had brought along a pair of swimming togs. But he didn’t really think that he’d ever _use_ the pool. Most incidents involving him and swimming pools were things he’d rather forget. He was understandably hesitant to swim now, although he had put on a brave face in front of Jack and the others.

Jack, however, had no such qualms. Upon reaching the pool, he immediately leaped into one of the lanes and started swimming towards the opposite side, parallel with Aidan. Nathan supposed it wasn’t too surprising that the Ultimate All-Rounder was a strong swimmer, too.

Nathan gazed warily at the pool, while painful memories involving diving boards, loose-fitting shorts and inflatable, dolphin-shaped pool toys danced through his mind.

Ciara emerged from the girls’ changing room and came across the Ultimate Lucky Student, who seemed to be having an intense staring competition with the swimming pool. She crept over to him.

“Everything alright?” she asked him.

Nathan turned to face her, colour rising in his face as the Ultimate Guitarist filled his vision. “Huh? Oh! Eh…I mean, yeah! I’m grand!”

Ciara tilted her head quizzically. “Are you sure?”

Nathan nodded so fast she thought his head might fly off his neck. “Yeah! I’m, eh, going to go swim now, i-if that’s alright?”

Ciara smiled. “Go ahead.”

Nathan plunged into the pool, all fears disregarded. He had to get away from that conversation at any cost. If that meant jumping into a swimming pool without any second thoughts, then so be it. He tried to let the water calm him, to clear his mind. But it didn’t work: all he could picture in his head was Ciara in her tiny swimsuit, with more of her bare flesh on display than he thought he’d ever be able to see. He groaned, bubbles escaping from between his lips.

Aisling still hadn’t gotten into the pool yet. She lingered on the poolside, watching her companions as they splashed around. They all looked so happy, she observed. Could they have all forgotten about their late friends so quickly?

Someone sat down next to her and said, “Everything alright?”

She glanced up to see Michael sitting next to her, with a soft smile on his face.

She nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

His eyebrows rose. “Really? You look a bit sad to me. I’m not used to seein’ you like that.”

Aisling averted her eyes from his. “It’s no big deal.”

“You sure? I’m not that kind of a doctor, but you can still have a chat with me if you’re feelin’ down.”

She sighed. “Well...it’s really not that big of a problem, but…”

“But…?” he prompted.

She jerked her head at the others, who were swimming and playing around the in the pool like ordinary teenagers. “They all look so…cheerful.”

A wry smile appeared on Michael’s face. “Wouldn’t expect _you_ to complain about people bein’ cheerful.”

“I know, but…two of our friends died just last night. Another one threw a tantrum in front of everyone this morning. I would’ve thought they’d all be more…upset.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t really matter, anyway.”

A small, uncharacteristic frown creased the Ultimate Vet’s forehead. “Actually, I think they _are_ upset.” He nodded towards the far end of the pool, where Jack and Aidan were sprinting up and down the lanes. “Those two over there are trying to push everythin’ out of their minds when they swim. Especially Jack. They’re sporty, like, so it’s easier for them to focus on something they know rather than something they _don’t_. Like how to deal with their current situation.”

Aisling stared at the vet as he continued speaking. “Ryan’s actin’ the fool ‘cause he wants everyone to cheer up. Ellie’s pretty much the same way. And look,” he pointed at the Ultimate Lucky Student, who was paddling around with an expression of distress. “Poor Nathan looks completely lost.”

Aisling saw where Michael was pointing and frowned. “Actually, I think the only things he’s _lost_ are his togs.”

Michael squinted, spotting a pair of shorts floating on the water’s surface not too far from Nathan’s position. “Oh. So he has.”

A blurred shape passed beneath the shorts and they disappeared under the water. The shape moved towards the panicking Lucky Student, swimming underneath him, before surfacing beside him. Ryan held up the sodden pair of shorts with a broad grin. Nathan snatched his togs with a scowl, before diving down to conserve his modesty as he pulled them back on. Ryan didn’t budge from his spot.

Michael scratched his chin as he struggled to find his train of thought. “Eh…as I was sayin’…” He remembered. “Ah, right. I was tryin’ to say that everyone has their own way of dealin’ with grief and stress. They might look happy enough, but I’m sure they’re just as down as you are. So, there’s no need to worry about that.”

Aisling grumbled. “I know, I know. I said it wasn’t that big of a deal, didn’t I?” She regretted her sharp tone immediately. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

Michael shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me. Just say what you have to say.”

Aisling nodded. “I…I will.” She smiled at the kind vet. “Thanks a lot, Mick.”

He winked. “No bother.” He slid down into the water. “Now come on, let’s go for a swim. Maybe, if we’re lucky, Ryan’s togs will be a bit looser than he realises.”

Aisling grinned. “D’you think he’d notice if someone tried to pull them off?”

Michael grinned right back. “Not if a beautiful boxer was distractin’ him.”

“I like the way you think, Mick.”

 

***

 

Later, in the afternoon, once everyone had clambered out of the pool and dried off, they all went their separate ways. Some went back to their rooms, exhausted by the morning’s swim. Others went and had lunch in the refectory. One student lingered near the gym, standing at the window and gazing down at the now-quiet swimming pool. He sighed.

Moments later, he was jolted out of his thoughts by a voice from behind him. “Hey, hun.”

Fionn spun around to see Ellie standing there, with her secretive smile curling the sides of her mouth.

“Hi, er, Ellie,” he mumbled. “How’re things?”

“Fine, fine. But, can I ask you somethin’?”

“Yeah?”

“Why didn’t you come swimmin’ with the rest of us?”

Fionn swallowed. “Oh. Well, I…it’s…”

She stepped closer to him. “Too shy?”

He blinked. “Er, yeah! Yeah, that’s it,” he said hurriedly.

“That’s a shame,” she said, with a pout on her face. “I was lookin’ forward to seeing you in only your shorts. Pity.”

Fionn’s mouth had suddenly gone very dry. “R-really? You’re…not serious, are you?”

“Of _course_ I’m serious.” She stood right in front of him now, nearly pressing up against his body. “I’m sure a big, strong fella like you hasn’t got anythin’ to hide, right?”

“Wh-what d’you mean?” Fionn was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

Her smile widened. “I think you _should_ give the pool a try. With me. Tonight, when everyone else is asleep. We’ll have the _whole_ pool to ourselves.” She placed a hand on one of the boy’s arms, feeling the muscle beneath her fingers. “And there’s no need to bring your togs.”

He realised, all of a sudden, just what the girl was implying.

She gazed up at him. “Come on, it’ll be fun. I’ll make it… _worth your while_ ,” she said, her voice caressing each seductive word.

Fionn grimaced. “Look, I’m sure you’re a lovely girl. And there are plenty of lads that would love to go skinny-dipping with you in the middle of the night.” He hesitated. Was it even worth telling her? Ellie seemed persistent enough: she might not be persuaded if he gave her a random excuse.

“The truth is…” He bent down and whispered something into her ear. Ellie’s eyes widened.

“Are you serious?” she asked.

He nodded. “I wouldn’t lie about that sort of thing.”

“Oh,” she said, with a note of disappointment in her voice. “Then, there’s no chance that you’d…?”

“None. Whatsoever. Sorry,” he said.

She sighed. “I suppose it’s not _your_ fault. I’m a bit surprised, mind you.” She looked at him sharply. “Is _that_ why you play rugby?”

“What?! No! God, no! I play rugby because I love it, not because I…I mean, I wouldn’t…” His face burned red, causing Ellie to giggle.

“Sorry,” she said. “But, you’ll admit that it has its benefits?”

He growled, making her back off. “Alright, I didn’t mean it. Jesus…” She leaned against the window pane, looking out over the pool. “But now, I don’t know what to do. I asked Michael if he’d come up to my room, and he nearly crapped his pants. I thought a handsome fella like him would be used to havin’ girls come up to him like that. And I can strike you off the list now, too. I’m running out of options.”

Fionn frowned at her. “You have a _list_?”

“It’s an imaginary one,” Ellie protested. “I didn’t actually write it out! Anyway, I was going to ask Jack, too, but then I found out how he felt about poor Gráinne. I may be a slut,” she said, “but I’m not tactless.”

Fionn looked at her. “I don’t think you’re a slut.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You should. I have a list, after all.”

“There’re plenty of lads I know that would have those kinds of lists as well. I wouldn’t call _them_ sluts.”

She patted his cheek. “That’s cute. But not everyone thinks that way.” She sidled up next to him, staring up at him hopefully. “So, while we’re on this topic, have you got any ‘recommendations’ for the list?”

He glared down at her. “What do _you_ think?”

She gave him a nudge. “Come on,” she pleaded. “We’re buddies now, aren’t we?”

He groaned. “Well, who haven’t you, er, flirted with yet?”

“I usually give it a few days between each attempt, if you know what I mean. So there’s only yourself and Michael so far.”

“Well…then there’s Seán, Aidan, Nathan, Alex and Ryan.”

“…You just described the entire list,” Ellie pointed out. “Can’t you, like, go through each one individually?”

Fionn raised a hand to his face in exasperation. “I’ve only known them a few days! D’you want me to give you the pros and cons, or something?”

“It’s easy,” she insisted. “Watch: Sean’s got a nice body and gorgeous hair, but he’s _really_ self-obsessed. Aidan’s got a fantastic body, but he’s a bit short. Nathan’s cute, but I don’t think he’d know what to do if a girl even tried to kiss him. Alex is pretty much the same, only skinnier. Ryan’s good-looking enough _and_ he’s got a great body, but…well, he’s a bit of a creep.”

“What makes you say that?” Fionn asked.

“I was there in the pool this morning,” she told him. “I saw the way he was lookin’ at us. Not just the girls: _all_ of us. I didn’t mind, obviously, but it was still a bit of a shock.” She looked expectantly at him. “Now it’s your turn.”

But the rugby star shook his head. “I’m not going to do this, alright? I’m going to get something to eat.” He sauntered off, stopping after walking about ten feet. “You coming, or what?”

Ellie smiled and followed after him.

 

*** 

 

Ciara was sitting in the lounge, relaxing in one of the soft armchairs. With her guitar in hand, she strummed softly, singing along with the rhythm.

_“…You got a fast car. But is it fast enough so we can fly away?”_

In times of heartbreak or grief, or even when she was just confused, Ciara found that playing her guitar was the best way to sort out her feelings. Last night, she had been shocked by the death of Gráinne at the hands of one of their other schoolmates. It had been worse than she could have imagined. The murder, the chaos that followed in the investigation and trial…and finally, the execution. It was all too much for anyone to handle.

_“We gotta make a decision. We leave tonight or live and die this way…”_

The music came to her so naturally that she barely even thought about it. Her fingers moved back and forth over the frets, and her mouth formed the words as though they were a second language. It allowed her to focus on her feelings, multitudinous as they were, as well as voice her emotions in a way that made sense to her. The words of the song didn’t matter: it was the conviction of the singer that gave it meaning.

Even though this particular song held a special meaning to her.

She launched into the chorus. _“So remember we were-”_

A sudden movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, bringing the song to an abrupt halt. She saw the Ultimate Lucky Student stagger out from behind a wall, trip over his own feet and collapse to the floor.

“Nathan?” she called.

He nearly leaped straight to his feet. “C-Ciara! Oh, I…I was…I didn’t…!”

She ceased his frantic spluttering with a wave of her hand. “Don’t worry about it. But, if you wanted to hear me play, you could’ve just said so.”

Nathan looked off to the side, blushing furiously. “Sorry. I heard you playing that song, but I didn’t want to interrupt, so…”

“It’s fine,” she said, in a reassuring voice. “Come on, sit down. Let’s chat.”

Nathan swallowed. Alright. Chatting. He could do that. He joined the guitarist in the lounge, sitting down on an armchair beside her.

“I’m…just a bit embarrassed,” he admitted.

“Really? Why?”

“Well, you’re so… _good_. Like everyone else here, you know? You’re all so talented and, and cool. Not like…” He trailed off, clearly annoyed with what he had just admitted. “Never mind.”

Ciara surveyed the boy quietly for a few moments. She was no psychologist, but Nathan clearly had some sort of inferiority complex. That, or just a serious lack of self-esteem.

“You shouldn’t think like that,” she told him. “After all, it’s not like you’re not talented.”

“But I’m _not_ ,” he insisted.

“What about the trial, then? You were nearly running the whole show in there. You’re a smart fella.”

“Th-that was mostly Jack who did that,” Nathan mumbled. “I was just following him.”

“You still showed _us_ what for. I was lost after the first few minutes. But you kept your head straight and ended up proving Deirdre was guilty.” She smiled encouragingly. “That’s something to be proud of.”

“…Maybe.” Nathan folded his arms, still not making eye-contact with her. “But all I did was send someone to their death. Should I really be proud of _that_?”

Instinctively, Ciara reached out and grabbed one of Nathan’s hands. “Listen, alright? You _saved_ us in there. Don’t forget it.”

Nathan’s face had turned a darker shade of red as soon as the guitarist had started holding his hand. “Eh…eh…o-okay?”

Ciara sighed and relaxed back in her seat, letting go of the boy’s hand. “Come on, I know something that’ll cheer you up. You like the Goo Goo Dolls?”

“Yeah, a bit.”

She smiled, and began strumming her guitar again.

_“…And all I can taste is this moment, and all I can breathe is your life…”_

Nathan felt his body sway along with the music, almost by itself. His foot tapped along with the changing rhythm as best it could.

_“…Cause, sooner or later, it’s over. I just don’t want to miss you tonight…”_

Nathan was all but mesmerised by the girl’s beautiful, gentle voice. When he heard her singing, all of his discomfort at being in her presence seemed to fade until it was barely noticeable.

_“…And I don’t want the wo-”_

A shrill voice drowned out the next line of the song.

“There is to be _no_ music played in the halls!”

Nathan jumped and Ciara stopped playing, sighing heavily as Orlagh ploughed into her field of vision.

“I made it perfectly clear that this lounge is to be kept silent at all times!” she cried. “As are the rest of the school’s halls! You, miss, are distracting the other students from their work! _Aithiseach!_ ”

Ciara frowned deeply at the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir. “But…since when…?”

Orlagh bared her teeth in a feral snarl. “ _Since when_?! Since I said so! I’m the one in charge here, and therefore I know what is best for all students! It’s a difficult time of the year for everyone, coming back from the long holiday.” She pointed at Ciara the way a hysterical woman would point at a mouse. “And yet, here _you_ are, disrupting everyone with your worthless _pop-ceol_! Have you no consideration for your fellow students?” She gestured towards Nathan, who had been struck dumb by the Gaeilgeoir’s arrival.

Ciara wiped away a fleck of spittle that had landed on her face. “No one else is complaining,” she pointed out. “And how can I be distracting them from their work? What ‘work’ could they possibly have to do?”

Orlagh stared at Ciara as though she were some kind of simpleton. “Are you mad?! _Tá fhios ag gach duine_ that St. Elpis’ College has some of the most demanding coursework in the country! Soon enough, the _scrúduithe_ will be coming along, and it’ll be entirely your fault if anyone performs badly!”

Nathan regarded the other girl in confusion. “‘ _Scrúduithe’_ …you mean exams?” he spluttered.

“ _Sin ceart!_ ” Orlagh hollered. “And what about you, hmm? I see that you’re not exactly preparing for the exams, either! You’ll never succeed in this school if all you do is sit around and play music!” She whirled to face Nathan, who had stood up from the armchair and was trying to plan a quick getaway. “And _you_ , Mr. Murphy! You’re just as lazy as she is! You shouldn’t let her pull you away from your studies like this!”

Ciara, too, had gotten up from her chair and was now backing away slowly. “Look, I don’t think you’re thinking too clearly, Orlagh. We’re not in St. Elpis’…or, at least, not the _real_ school. We’ve been locked up and forced to kill each other, remember? I think you should just calm down and take a few deep breaths…”

Orlagh eyed the Ultimate Guitarist in disgust. “I _bet_ you’d like that, wouldn’t you? For me to ‘calm down’ and relax? Well, I can’t! If I lose focus now, I’ll never pass my exams! I can’t afford to relax at this time of year, _an dtuigeann tú_?”

Ciara stared uncomprehendingly at Orlagh. What had happened to her? Had the stress of the situation damaged her mind? Or was she deluding herself into thinking that everything was alright?

She stepped forward, trying to placate the crazed girl. “Orlagh? It’s…it’s okay, you know. If you want, we can talk. Just the two of us. You can tell me anything you want. You can trust me.”

But Orlagh’s face twisted in fury. “Oh, I see. So, you think you can be _trusted_?! That you’re _better_ than me?! Well, you’re not! I’m the _Ultimate_ Gaeilgeoir!” she shrieked.  “No one is allowed to be better than me! _No one!_ ” she howled, before turning and sprinting out of the lounge in floods of tears.

Ciara stared at the spot Orlagh had been standing on only moments before. The Gaeilgeoir had clearly lost the capacity for rational thought. Ciara knew that she’d been so confident that nobody would be murdered. Obviously that confidence had been shattered by the events of the previous night. Ciara feared for the girl’s sanity. Ciara, after all, had her music to sort out all of her emotions with. Orlagh had no such outlet.

Nathan’s mouth was opening and closing wordlessly. Eventually, he managed to mutter, “What the hell just happened?”

“I don’t know,” Ciara replied. “But maybe we should do as she says. We don’t want her to explode at us again.” She looked sadly over at the boy. “I’ll see you later, alright?”

He nodded shakily. “Y-yeah, alright.”

Ciara picked up her guitar and retreated to her room. She closed the door behind her.

 

*** 

 

Jack stood outside Room No. 3, mentally preparing himself for the difficult task ahead. It wasn’t that Jack had trouble talking to people. Not at all. But even an all-rounder like himself would admit that certain people were easier to have a chat with than others. But, since he had made his resolution to protect everyone, he’d made the decision to be more open with the other students. To that end, he’d decided to try and make friends with the others. He knew that it was naïve of him to think that he could be friends with _everyone_. But he’d thought that, if everyone was on good terms with each other, it would be harder for Monobear to break them apart. But there were a few students that needed to open up for that to happen.

Jack braced himself, and pressed the button. He couldn’t hear the buzzer from the other side of the soundproofed door, but he was waiting only a few moments before the door swung open.

Seán glared at the boy with messy hair who stood in front of him. “What do _you_ want?” he asked.

Jack smiled as pleasantly as possible. “I just wanted to have a chat with you. We could head over to the alley for a bit?”

Seán groaned, making his displeasure as obvious as he could. “Fine. Let me grab my hurl.”

A few minutes later, they entered the hurling alley. Seán immediately found a sliotar and began hitting it off the wall, as usual. Jack follows suit, taking a hurl and ball and standing beside the GAA head. He was no stranger to hurling himself, although he’d never had much of an interest in the sport.

“So…” Jack began awkwardly. “I’ve noticed you’re spending a lot of time in here. By yourself.”

Seán didn’t even look at him as he replied, “Yeah. So?”

“And, when you’re not here, you just stay in your room.”

Seán struck the ball. “What’s your point?”

“Eh…well, do you not get a bit…lonely?” Jack tried, before grunting with effort as he swung the hurl at the oncoming sliotar.

Seán glanced at the all-rounder out of the corner of his eye. “Why would I?”

“Some of the others have been saying you should come out every once in a while. Just for a chat, you know?”

A knowing smile appeared on Seán’s face. “So someone can come along and stab me in the back? Not a chance,” he told Jack.

Jack caught his sliotar and let the hurl drop. “No one’s going to kill you, alright? I’m not letting anyone get hurt in this place.”

Seán chuckled darkly. “Yeah, right. That worked _so_ well for Gráinne, didn’t it?”

Jack willed himself not to rise to the Ultimate GAA Head’s bait. “I…it’s _because_ of her that I’m doing this. I’m not going to just let Monobear do what he wants with us. We need to take a stand. _All_ of us.”

“But,” Seán said, “all it takes is for one person to give in, and then we’re back to where we started. What’s the point of even trying?”

Jack turned to face the other boy, stunned by his attitude. “So, you’re giving up? You’re letting Monobear win?”

Seán caught his own ball and met Jack’s stare with cold eyes. “He already _has_ won, you fuckin’ fool. He won the minute we got here. There’s nothing else we can do except survive until we’re killed, too.”

Jack scowled. “How can you say that? You’re just going to sit back and let innocent people die?”

Seán sneered. “There’s no such thing as an innocent person. We’re all guilty of somethin’. Maybe people are dyin’ in here because they deserve it?”

Jack tried to slow his breathing, keep everything under control. He had tried to reason with the GAA head, and it hadn’t worked. There was no sense in trying any further. It was best to retreat before he truly lost his temper.

“It was great talking to you,” Jack said in an even voice. “I’m going to go now.”

“Just fuck off,” Seán responded, turning his attention back to the big, grey wall at the other end of the hall.

Jack nodded, before walking slowly out of the alley. He didn’t look back.


	12. Chapter 2: Despair Conditioning - Part 3

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

The days began to trickle by. Soon, it was the third night after Gráinne’s murder, and the students were starting to become complacent. The mastermind observed them through the multitude of cameras located around the building. They could tell how the students were beginning to relax. If the students were relaxing, then they obviously were currently unaffected by despair. The mastermind didn’t understand. Hadn’t they just witnessed the brutal killing of one of their peers? The mastermind had designed that particular execution with the idea of setting the stage for the executions to come in mind. The effects had not been quite as long-lasting as they had predicted.

Only one murder had occurred thus far. That was hardly enough to cause the remaining students to succumb to despair. But still, the mastermind felt a twinge of frustration. Perhaps it was time for Monobear to deliver another incentive?

They sat back in their chair, surveying through steepled fingers the myriad screens and the children that moved from one to another, attending to their daily tasks. In particular, the mastermind eyed the one they had singled out and ordered to act as a mole. The mole kept a steady flow of information flowing to the mastermind. But they had had no real need for their little spy as of yet.

The mastermind smiled. Soon, all that would begin to change.

 

*** 

 

Aidan was lying down on the couch, hands behind his head, counting the tiles on the lounge’s ceiling one-by-one. It’d been weirdly quiet in the school for the last few days, in spite of Orlagh’s shrill outbursts. Everyone was getting along, and it seemed like they all had the sense to stay away from Seán and Orlagh. Aidan liked things to be quiet, usually. But this was different: like the way the tide goes out just before a huge wave comes in.

Something cold and hard pressed against the exposed skin on his belly, causing him to lurch up suddenly from his horizontal position. He looked down, seeing the heel of a black shoe resting on his abdomen. The shoe belonged to none other than a grinning Ryan.

“How’s it going?” the dancer asked cheerily, withdrawing his leg.

Aidan groaned and lied back down. “Bastard,” he muttered. “D’you always kick people awake?”

Ryan laughed. “I barely _tapped_ you. And you’ve got abs of steel, anyway. You’re not hurt.”

Aidan tried to suppress his smile. “Still freaked me out,” he said.

“Make room, there,” Ryan commanded. “I want to sit down.”

Aidan pulled his legs up, allowing Ryan to sit on the other end of the couch. The two began to chat, each regaling the other with amusing stories from their past in the world outside St. Elpis’. Ever since they had discovered their mutual interest in swimming, the two boys had become fast friends. As it turned out, they had a lot in common: they were both of average intelligence, for a start. They had similar tastes in films, games, women and food. And they felt comfortable enough around each other to share embarrassing stories.

“…and that was _before_ they could wrestle me into the tutu,” Ryan said gravely.

Aidan roared with laughter. “Are you serious?! So _that’s_ when that picture was taken!”

Ryan nodded, feeling a smile twitching at one corner of his mouth. He’d shown Aidan his embarrassing photograph the day before, having no real reason to keep it hidden anymore.

“What I want to know is,” he said, a frown now appearing on his face, “how did Monobear get a hold of the photo?”

Aidan looked at him. “I dunno, buddy. How’d he trap us all in here and turn the school into a prison without anyone realising?”

“Ugh,” Ryan said, slumping back into the couch and staring up at the ceiling. “Fuck Monobear.”

Aidan grinned. “I agree. _Fuck_ Monobear.”

They shared a brief chuckle.

Ryan clapped his friend on the back. “So, d’you want to go for a quick dip?”

“We just went this mornin’.”

“Yeah, but I was hoping to get one of the girls to come along with us. Ellie, maybe.”

Aidan considered the offer. “She’ll probably think we’re tryin’ to double-team her.”

“And who says we aren’t?” Ryan joked.

Aidan snorted. “Alright. But if she starts tryin’ to feel me up again, I’m leaving.”

“Fine,” Ryan said. “She can have _me_ instead.”

The two boys walked out of the lounge, laughing and enjoying each other’s company.

 

*** 

 

Louise took to exploring the newly-opened floor of the building, putting her skills as an investigative journalist to use. Her investigation of the gym and swimming pool had proven fruitless, so she turned her attention to the school library. Inside the library were shelves upon shelves, stacked full to the brim with books. She wouldn’t know where to begin with them all. Perhaps, she’d just start with a cursory examination of the library, before moving on to study the various books in greater detail. After all, there could be information on Monobear or other things about the place.

But, before she could begin her investigation of the great room, she came across someone sitting down in the reading area. It was Niamh. The girl’s nose was stuck in a book, and so she took no notice of Louise as she approached the reading area and sat down opposite her.

“Ahem,” Louise said.

Niamh’s head snapped up, blinking rapidly. “Oh! I’m sorry, Louise. I didn’t see you come in.” She put the book down, not bothering to mark her place. “D-do you want me to…?” She nodded towards the exit, prompting Louise to shake her head vigorously.

“Not at all,” the journalist said. “I think we should have a little talk, if you don’t mind.” Louise began to reach for her trusted notepad and pen, but stopped before she had stuck her hand into her pocket.

Niamh spotted the erratic movement. “Is everything alright?”

Louise sighed. “Well, if you must know, I was planning to write a series of articles: one for each student here in St. Elpis’. I was making steady progress with the interviews, but I never managed to speak with Gráinne or Deirdre before they…” She trailed off uncomfortably.

“You don’t see the point in continuing with the project.”

Louise nodded. “Yes, I’m afraid so. I’m a bit of a perfectionist, you see. I wouldn’t feel right going on with this endeavour if I didn’t have the full set to work with. Er, in a manner of speaking,” she added hurriedly.

But Niamh had understood. “That’s alright. You haven’t tried speaking to any of the others? Ask them what they knew about the girls?”

“Well, I was thinking about asking Jack and Nathan about Gráinne. But I realised that nobody knows very much about Deirdre.” Louise grimaced. “No matter what happens, I’ll never get enough information on her.”

“I’m sorry.”

Louise brightened, forcing a winning smile onto her face. “Oh, don’t be. It’s not that big of a deal. So, how are things with you? You seem to be enjoying this library.”

Niamh nodded, a small smile working its way onto her mouth. “I’m enjoying it. They have so many interesting books here. It’s everything I was looking forward to before…well, all of _this_ happened.” She pointed up towards the ceiling, where a skylight had been blocked off by a rather large iron plate.

Louise’s eyes flickered to the book Niamh had left on the chair beside her, quickly taking the cover and title. “Do you like, er, _Beginner’s Number Theory_?”

“I do. There’s a whole collection of books on maths over in the Education section. This one seemed the most interesting to me. I’ve been coming here with Alex every day since this place opened.”

A knowing expression crept across Louise’s face. “I see. I’ve noticed that you spend a lot of time with that boy.”

“Well, yeah. He’s really the only other person in here that likes maths as much as I do.”

Louise leaned forward, interested in hearing all of the juicy gossip. “Have any… _intimate_ feelings arisen between the two of you? It’s quite natural after all, for young people who hold common interests like you and Alex.”

But Niamh only giggled at the journalists words. “I don’t think that’s going to happen. He’s gay, you see.”

Louise blinked. “I’m sorry? He’s _gay_?”

“That’s right. He told me so. That, and he said he’s not interested in romance.”

“Oh.” That had been somewhat unexpected. She’d interviewed nearly half of the students, and only one of them had openly admitted to not being straight: Ryan. She’d barely considered the possibility of there being gay students. Not that it mattered, particularly. “Well, that’s a shame. I was looking forward to hearing all about your hidden love affair between the dark, sultry shelves of the library.”

Niamh laughed, even though the journalist had only been half-joking.

Louise decided to move to another topic. “You said that you had a keen interest in maths. I wouldn’t have thought that, given your profession.”

“Most people wouldn’t,” Niamh admitted. “But I’ve always liked maths, especially since entering secondary school. I was planning to study for a maths degree after I graduated from St. Elpis’, but…” She sighed. “It doesn’t look like that’ll happen now.”

The model looked so put-out that Louise was compelled to cheer her up. “Don’t worry! Er, Jack’s been saying that Monobear can’t keep us locked up in here forever. We’ll make it out eventually, I’m sure.”

Niamh looked slightly less glum at that prospect. “I hope you’re right.”

There was a sombre silence, until Niamh asked, “What about you? What were you going to do after you graduated?”

Louise was briefly startled by the question. She wasn’t used to being interviewed herself. “I was hoping to write a comprehensive feature on St. Elpis’ College. My experience of the school, what I thought of the education system and facilities, etcetera. I realised, when I got my invitation, that so few people actually know all that much about St. Elpis’. The feature would be my way of allowing everyone in the nation, and even beyond, to share in the experience of attending the school, even if they had no ‘ultimate talent’.”

“And your article on every student was going to be part of that feature?”

“It was, yes. But, like I said, there’s no point in finishing it now. Not when we’re trapped in this hellish place, with two of our companions dead and gone.”

The library fell silent once again. Both of the girls were beginning to feel despair as they realised how thoroughly their aspirations had been crushed.

A full minute later, Louise asked, “Do you want to go down to the refectory and have some ice cream? Will that be enough to cheer us up?”

Despite herself, Niamh smiled and allowed the other girl to lead the way out of the library.

 

*** 

 

Alex checked his watch. The time was 14:30. He’d been waiting outside the refectory for a quarter of an hour, waiting for someone. Seeing as how he’d had little to no chance of intellectual stimulation in the school, he’d found other ways to keep himself busy. He’d taken up observing the movements of his fellow students, noting when they each went to the refectory, which areas of the building they frequented and when they returned to their rooms for the evening. Given enough time and data, he had come up with a method of figuring out, within a reasonable margin of error, where any student would be at any time of day. Aidan and Ryan were regularly together, often at the swimming pool. Fionn, on the other hand, _never_ visited the pool. Seán was almost always either in his room or the hurling alley. Niamh was frequently in the library, a fact he knew all too well. The other students had been more difficult to pin down. In any case, he was now able to track down any one of the students whenever he needed to.

Just as he was beginning to think he had miscalculated, his target walked around the corner, striding towards the refectory entrance. Alex stepped forwards.

“Nathan,” he said, “I’ve been looking for you.

The Ultimate Lucky Student blinked. “Eh, really?”

Alex nodded. “I wanted to ask you a few things. Could you spare a few minutes?”

Nathan looked warily at the physicist. “Yeah, alright. You don’t mind if we talk inside the refectory, do you? I’m starving,” he added.

“It’s no problem,” Alex said.

They sat down at the refectory table a few minutes later, Nathan munching on a bread roll while Alex had decided on having a calming cup of tea.

“Sho,” Nathan began, while chewing on a lump of the bread roll, “whatchoo wanna talk ‘bout?”

“Well, you see, I’ve been thinking about some of the things you said a few nights ago. We all sat around in a circle in the lounge and talked about ourselves. Do you remember?”

Nathan swallowed the lump of bread. “Yeah. I remember that.”

“That was when you first mentioned your unique…talent. You said that you were afflicted with bad luck, but that affliction did not extend to those around you, correct?”

Nathan nodded sombrely. “Yeah. I’ve been that way my whole life.”

“I am a man of science, Mr. Murphy. As such, your talent intrigues me. I would like to investigate and learn more about this skill of yours.”

Nathan grimaced. “I-it’s really not much of a skill. I can’t _control_ it, or anything.”

“I believe that you have untapped potential.” Alex took a sip from his cup. “Further experimentation is necessary in order to full comprehend the bounds of your power.”

“I wouldn’t really call it a ‘power’, either…” He paused, considering the meaning of the boy’s words. “What kind of _experimentation_ did you have in mind?”

“Well, we’d need to use my room,” Alex told him.

“Wh-what?!” Nathan croaked.

“That’s where I keep my laboratory equipment. We haven’t yet gained access to the school labs, but we can make do using the apparatus I brought with me from my house.”

“O-oh. I see.”

“Do I have your consent in this matter?” Alex asked.

Nathan still looked uneasy. “You’re not going to, like, _dissect_ me, are you?”

Alex smiled thinly. “I’m a physicist, not a biologist. You’ll be quite safe.”

Nathan shrugged. “Well, it’s not like I have anything better to be doing.”

They departed the refectory once they had finished their meal.

A few lengthy hours later, Alex said, “Alright, you can get up now.”

Nathan winced as he slowly got up off of the bed, brushing aside a piece of equipment that had been hanging over the space occupied by his head. He cried out as a spark jolted through his body upon contact with the equipment. It was the fifth time he had received an electric shock from accidentally touching laboratory equipment in the last two hours.

Alex frowned at the apparatus in question. “That’s strange. There shouldn’t even be any current flowing through that. How could you have been shocked?”

Nathan grumbled.

“Ah, of course.” Alex had gained a lot of information this afternoon, most of which could not be explained by science. “I must apologise for putting you through all this, Nathan.”

Nathan smoothly ducked under a set of dangling wires. “So, did you find out anything?”

Alex hesitated. “The results of these tests were…inconclusive.”

Nathan slumped on the bed.

“There really is no other explanation as to why you’ve had such a trying life. You’re…just very unlucky.” Alex suddenly scowled. “It flies in the face of everything I know!” he snapped. “How can someone be so unfortunate without there being some kind of a scientific explanation? The laws of probability are absolute!”

Nathan was looking fearful now, and so Alex forced himself to calm down. “I must look over these tests once more.” He leaned over and pressed the ‘stop’ switch on his tape recorder, with which he had been recording the entire procedure. “You may leave now, if you wish.”

Nathan nodded, sitting back up on the side of the bed. “Alright. I’m sorry for your- _motherFUCK!_ ” he screamed.

Alex winced. The poor fellow had hit the back of his head off of the wires he had avoided so keenly a few moments before. Although the wires were intact, there must have been an exposed piece of copper, for Nathan had once again been given a tremendous shock.

“Sorry.”

 

*** 

 

Later that evening, not long after dinner had ended, the students met up in the lounge. Ciara was there, waiting on a couch with her guitar in hand.

“Thanks for coming, lads,” she said brightly. “I wanted all of us to sit around, like we did a few nights ago.”

“There are only twelve of us here,” Alex pointed out.

Ciara smiled sheepishly. “Well, I asked Seán if he wanted to come, but he said no. Or words to that effect. And the less Orlagh knows about this, the better.”

“What, exactly, are we going to be doing here?” Louise asked.

Ciara held up her guitar. “Isn’t it obvious? We’re going to have a sing-along!”

There were a handful of groans, which caused Ciara to pout.

“I thought it’d be a good way for us to bond as a group,” she explained. “The last time we did something like this, it went great.”

“Until Monobear arrived,” Aidan corrected her.

Ciara was quickly losing heart. “Look, let’s just give it a try. We’ll see how it goes.”

“I think we should do it.” Nathan said loudly. “It’s just the thing we need to raise our spirits. As long as we keep hope alive, we’ve nothing to fear.”

Jack peered quizzically at his friend. “That sounded like one of _my_ speeches.”

Nathan shrugged, but the guitarist was pleased by his enthusiasm.

“Great!” she said. “Then me and Nathan will lead you with the first song.”

Nathan blanched. “We will?”

“Yeah! Come on up and sit beside me.”

Nathan immediately did as he was told, ignoring a few sniggers along the way. As he sat down on the couch, he leaned over and muttered to Ciara. “I’m not that great of a singer, really.”

But the guitarist shook her head. “That’s alright. I’ll be singing along with you, and so will everyone else. Plus, it’s a song that I’m sure you know.”

Nathan melted beneath the girl’s beautiful smile. “Alright,” he relented. “Just as long as it’s not _Wonderwall_.”

Ciara started strumming and Nathan groaned. It was _Wonderwall_.

After the song was over, everyone clapped politely as Nathan stood to return to his seat.

“Wait,” Ciara said, grabbing the back of his shirt. “You can stay here, if you’d like. You did a good job on the singing, you know.”

Nathan blushed. “Oh. Well, eh…okay.” He sat back down, not daring to meet anyone’s eye.

“Who wants to go next?” he heard Ciara ask from beside him. “I want everyone to have a turn eventually.”

Aisling sighed. “Then, I might as well get it over with. D’you want me to stand up?”

“Not unless you have to,” Ciara replied.

“Brilliant,” Aisling said, crossing her legs beneath her. “Could you play a Katy Perry song?”

Ciara made a bemused face. “It’s a step down from Oasis, but alright.”

She played a song Nathan didn’t know the words to. A handful of the others did, choosing to sing along with the not-altogether-bad Aisling.

“Good job, Ash,” Ciara said after the song had finished.

The Ultimate Boxer frowned. “You didn’t think I was a bit off-key?”

“If you were,” Ciara replied, “I didn’t notice.”

Aisling smiled as Fionn stuck his hand in the air. “I want to go next. Let’s make it a short one,” he said.

“Fine. Do you know _Song 2_ by Blur?”

“Yeah.”

They went ahead and played the song. More of the students were familiar with this particular song, and even Nathan joined in on the chorus. Fionn wasn’t a terrible singer, but he strained to reach the higher notes of the song. He still received a round of applause and a commendation from Ciara.

Louise sang next. She evidently thought she was a better singer than she actually was. Her version of _Let It Be_ left something to be desired. She basked proudly in the hesitant applause that followed.

Michael chose to sing _When You Say Nothing At All_ , proving himself to be a surprisingly talented tenor. He received the biggest round of applause yet when the song ended.

Ellie sang _Get This Party Started_ , a song which the Ultimate Guitarist had trouble playing accurately on her acoustic instrument. Not that this fact bothered Ellie at all.

Ryan and Aidan decided to sing a duet version of _Sweet Caroline_. Ryan showed off his talent born of his musical background, but Aidan kept up well with his friend. Despite the lack of rehearsal, the two boys’ voices meshed well.

Alex stood up quietly in order to sing his song: _Space Oddity_. The strong voice that erupted from the skinny boy may have impressed even Deirdre, had she been alive to hear it.

“Fuck me,” Fionn muttered in disbelief as the physicist sat down. “Where’d you learn to sing like that, Alex?”

“W-well, I used to do musical theatre,” he explained meekly. “I quit last year to focus on my projects.”

Fionn was grinning at the other boy. “You’re really good, d’you know that?”

Alex stared awkwardly at the space in front of his crossed legs, hoping nobody would notice the colour rising in his face.

“Your turn, Niamh,” Ciara said to the model.

Niamh flinched. “I…I really can’t sing very well.”

Aisling raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t stop me.”

But Ciara said, “Don’t worry. We’ll sing an easy song. How about _Hey Jude_?”

Niamh tried her best, she really did. But, as she was singing, she was plainly aware of how off-key her voice was. She could the puzzled looks her peers were giving her, and let her head droop shamefully.

“I’m sorry,” she said once the song had ended, some time later. “I’ve never been able to sing, all my life.”

Fionn frowned at her. “Are you tone-deaf?”

“No,” Niamh said, shaking her head despondently. “I can hear the difference between all the notes. I just can’t, you know, _imitate_ them.”

Ciara looked almost as upset as Niamh did. “You poor thing. You could’ve just said something. I would’ve let you opt out.”

But Niamh folded her arms, assuming a firm expression. “No. Everyone else had a go, even if they didn’t want to. It’s only fair that I went, too.”

Ciara nodded. “Alright. Is that everyone?”

Jack raised his hand. “I haven’t sung yet,” he said.

“Well, then let’s hear it. Do you know _Mr. Brightside_?”

Nathan groaned again.

“Of course,” Jack replied.

After the song was over, Jack was praised by some of his fellow students. Nathan was hardly surprised by Jack’s singing talent. It only made sense that the Ultimate All-Rounder would have a nice singing voice, to boot.

“Well,” Ciara said, “now that everyone’s had their turn, how about one last song for the road? I was thinking _Bohemian Rhapsody_?”

Nobody had any complaints as to the final song choice, except for one. As Ciara began playing the opening chords of the song, a familiar, piercing voice interrupted them.

“ _What_ did I say about playing music in the halls?!”

Ciara sighed in frustration as Orlagh stomped into the lounge, her face a mask of righteous indignation.

“I specifically told you, Ciara Maguire, that there were to be no disruptions to the busy lives of this school’s students! And now look, here they all are! You’ve wrestled them away from their hard work and dedicated efforts just to sit around on the floor and listen to your meaningless _amhránaí_!”

Ciara pursed her lips, suppressing the biting retorts that threatened to spill out. There was no use in getting angry with the Gaeilgeoir. It was better to stay calm and try to reason with her.

“I didn’t _wrestle_ them away from anything,” Ciara explained, in an even voice. “I asked them to come here and so they did. It was _their_ choice.”

“And what are you on about, anyway?” Fionn asked Orlagh. “What d’you mean ‘busy lives’? We haven’t been doing anything in this place.”

Orlagh folded her arms and glared haughtily at him. “That’s a fine attitude to have! Just think of all the _daltaí_ in this country who’ll never have the chance to come to St. Elpis’ College. And here _you_ are, wasting the opportunity that God’s given you! It’s sickening!”

The students around the lounge were sharing confused glances with each other.

Jack voiced everyone’s concerns. “Orlagh, do you…know where you are right now?”

She gave him a look that was evidently meant to express her disdain for the question. But it really only made it look like she was squinting. “What sort of _ceist_ is that? We’re all in St. Elpis’ College. We’re first-year students who are studying hard after being accepted into this exclusive institution.”

Aidan snorted. “You’re not serious…”

“As a matter of fact, I am _completely_ serious, Mr. Collins!” Orlagh snapped, her voice rising dangerously again. “And, by engaging in this…frivolous display, you are all showing great _drochmheas_ towards the school, the staff and your fellow pupils! You ought to be following the example set by the second and third-year students!”

Ryan gaped. “ _What_ second and third-year students? The fourteen of us are the only ones in this bloody place besides Monobear!”

Orlagh blinked. “M-Monobear…?”

“Yes!” Ryan hissed through gritted teeth. “The one who trapped us here, remember? And he’s trying to get us to kill each other? D’you remember that?”

Orlagh’s face had whitened. “Monobear. Monobear. Monobear.” She whispered the name like a mantra.

The students in the lounge edged away from the chanting girl, whose face was growing continuously more distressed-looking.

“I think we should leave it there for the night,” Ciara said, trying to keep her voice steady. “You’ve all done a great job. G-good night!”

“Good night!” they all responded, making for their rooms. Nobody looked back at the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir, not even as they reached the dormitories.

Nathan fumbled around for his ID card just as Orlagh released a blood-curdling scream. He hurriedly thrust the card into the slot in the door and barged through, slamming the door behind him.

He flopped down onto his bed. What the hell was wrong with Orlagh? He knew the others were all wondering the same thing. Had the twin deaths traumatised her so badly? Has she always been mentally-unstable? Although he didn’t like the Gaeilgeoir very much, she was still one of his companions. It pained him to see her so upset.

Nathan scoffed. Maybe he was being too soft? Or was Jack rubbing off on him?

The questions upon questions all revolved around inside his mind long after Monobear’s Night Time announcement. He shut off the lights and tried to relax.

His tossing and turning was disrupted when his doorbell rang. He lurched up out of bed, staggering over to the door. Who the hell was trying to talk to him at this hour of the night? His heart began pounding. Had another body been found? Were they all about to descend once more into the madness of a few days before?

But, when he opened the door, he found Ryan and Aidan standing outside, with identical grins on their faces.

“Hey, Nathan,” Aidan said. “How’re you?”

Nathan rubbed his eyes sleepily. “I’m knackered. You?”

“We’re great,” Ryan answered, “but we were wondering if you wanted to go for a swim?”

Nathan stared them both through heavy-lidded eyes. “In the pool? At this time of night?”

“Yeah!” exclaimed Ryan. “It’s completely quiet during the night, and we’ll have the whole pool to ourselves.”

Nathan sighed. “It sounds good, but I’m afraid my only pair of togs are in the wash at the moment.”

The boys’ grins widened.

“That’s okay,” Aidan said. “You don’t need to bring ‘em.”

Nathan frowned. “You want me to go swimming with two other lads…in the middle of the night… _naked_?”

Ryan nodded with enthusiasm. “Yeah! It’s good _craic_!”

“And neither of you think that’s a bit, eh…suspect?”

Aidan shook his head. “Nothin’ wrong with it. It’s a perfectly straight thing to do. We’ve been doin’ it for a few nights now.”

Nathan yawned. “R-right. So why don’t the two of you just go by yourselves, then? No need to drag me into it.”

Ryan pouted. “It’s not as fun if it’s just the two of us. The more, the merrier, right?”

“We were goin’ to invite Jack, as well,” Aidan added.

Nathan couldn’t imagine a more awkward scenario than four naked lads in a swimming pool at some godforsaken hour of the night. He decided to cut this conversation short. “I’m not interested, alright? I already said that I’m knackered.”

The two boys slumped.

“Yeah, alright,” Ryan said. “Good night, so.”

“Yeah, see you.”

Nathan closed the door and made the trek back to his bed, clambering under the duvet again. Fortunately for him, the conversation with the surfer and dancer had made him realise how tired he was. Before long, he had drifted off into a fitful sleep.


	13. Chapter 2: Despair Conditioning - Part 4

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

Jack woke up the next morning, on the dawn of the eighth day, and shivered. He felt cold. He moved his limbs around under his duvet, feeling the chill of the unwarmed parts of his bed. Had he rolled over to the cold side of the bed in his sleep? No wonder he’d gotten chilly.

He planned to just curl up and snooze. After all, Monobear hadn’t made his regular morning announcement…

_“Good morning, you pathetic brats! It’s seven o’clock. That means it’s time to wake up and seize the day!”_

The shrill voice blasted through the loudspeaker in his bedroom, causing him to groan.

“Might as well get up,” he grumbled.

He showered, shaved and got dressed, making his way down to the refectory just before the clock struck half-past seven. He bumped into Nathan just outside the refectory’s entrance.

“Hey, Jack,” the Ultimate Lucky Student said. “How are you?”

“I’m grand. You?”

Nathan shivered. “I’m…a bit cold, actually. My room felt a bit chilly this morning. I _still_ feel cold, in fact. What about you, Jack? Do you feel cold, too?”

Jack shook his head. “No. I feel fine.”

He stopped. Why had he said that? He _was_ cold. He’d even zipped up his hoodie to keep out the weird chill. Why had he just lied to his friend?

Jack swallowed nervously. If he told Nathan that he was cold, he’d think he was weak, wouldn’t he? Yeah. Yeah, he would. That’s why he’d told a lie.

 _That’s the only reason,_ Jack thought to himself. _That’s all._

Nathan peered at his friend, observing the subtle, but erratic changes in his facial expressions. “Jack? You sure you’re alright?”

Jack nodded. “Yeah, of course. Come on,” he said, “let’s go eat.”

“Yeah, alright.”

Inside the refectory, they found roughly half of the remaining students already seated around the table. There were a few muffled greeting as the two boys walked in and sorted out their breakfast.

A brief glance around the table showed Nathan that a number of the girls were shivering and hugging their arms to their chests. The rest of the students, when they arrived, all made comments about being cold. Seán and Orlagh were nowhere to be seen.

Nathan frowned. This was too much to be a coincidence.

Sure enough, just as breakfast was finishing, Monobear appeared on the scene and stood on the dining table to address the students.

“What’s up, my chilly chums?” he squeaked. “I can tell you’re all feeling the cold touch of despair. How wonderful!”

Alex glared. “So, I take it then that you _did_ tamper with the heating?”

“Upupu…did I make it too obvious? Oh, well. I was gonna tell you guys, anyway.”

Niamh nudged the physicist. “Alex, what’s he talking about?”

“Can’t you feel it? Monobear’s lowered the temperature in the building.”

“No wonder it’s so cold,” Aisling muttered.

“But why?” Ciara asked. “Why’d you do that?”

Monobear said, “Well, I’ve been thinking, you see. The last time I made an incentive for you to kill each other, it worked out much better than I expected. So, I’m doing it again. This time, I’m gonna lower the temperature in this place by one degree Celsius every two hours. It started at midnight last night and it’ll keep going until one of you brats kills someone. Upupupu! I wonder how long it’ll take before you crack?”

Monobear bowed. “Well, I’m afraid I’ve got bear things to do. _Important_ bear things. So, I’ll catch you all later. That is, if you’re not all ice sculptures by then! Upupupupu!”

And with a final, mocking laugh, Monobear disappeared. The malicious cackle reverberated around the refectory long after the bear had departed.

“Shit,” Fionn sighed, summing up everyone’s feelings on the situation.

“How are we going to make it out of this one?” Aisling wondered.

“Alex,” Jack called, “how much time do we have before we freeze?”

Alex raised a hand to his chin. “Well, the average room temperature is roughly 296 Kelvin. That rounds up to nearly 23oC. If the temperature has been lowering by one degree Celsius every two hours, then that means that, in a few minutes, the temperature should fall to 19 oC.”

“When the clock strikes eight,” Jack supplied.

“Exactly. In the space of twenty-four hours, the temperature will have dropped by twelve degrees. Therefore, two midnights from now, the temperature will be below freezing. Unless somebody decides to commit murder before then.”

Jack shook his head. “That’s not going to happen. We can make it through this is we all band together.”

Ciara shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “Monobear didn’t say anything about when the temperature would stop going down. It…might not stop at all. We could all die of hypothermia in a few days’ time.”

Nathan spoke up. “We’ll have to find ways of staying warm.”

Ryan rubbed his hands together gleefully. “I like this plan.”

“As long as we keep hope alive,” Jack said, “we’ve nothing to fear.”

He had barely finished speaking when there was a loud roar from the rafters above. The students felt a blast of cool air pass over them, prompting them all to shiver as the temperature dropped.

“I don’t think it’s going to be that easy,” Nathan muttered to Jack.

 

*** 

 

Michael lingered in the refectory for a while after the others had left, some of them seeking out blankets and duvets to wrap around themselves. Michael didn’t mind the cold all that much, but he was worried for some of his friends who did. There was one person in particular he had taken upon himself to protect, seeing as no one else took any interest in him.

To Michael’s delight, that person walked into the refectory at around half-past eight, scanning the large room before he entered.

“Sleep well?” Michael asked him as he approached the table.

Seán rolled his eyes upon hearing the vet’s voice. He hadn’t noticed him sitting at the table. Still, out of all the idiots in this place, Seán found Michael to be one of the more tolerable ones. He grunted in reply to the other boy’s question.

“Glad to hear it,” Michael said, his voice full of cheer.

The Ultimate GAA Head sat down opposite Michael, scowling at his breakfast, unwilling to make eye-contact with him. Although Seán found Michael’s constant optimism to be grating, he appreciated the vet’s honesty. Michael spoke his mind and said how he really felt, just like Seán did. That made him stand out from the liars who only said what people wanted them to say. Like Jack, who made long-winded speeches to draw attention to himself. Seán couldn’t stand people like that. If you want attention, he reasoned, you should use actions instead of words.

“So…” Michael broke the uncomfortable silence. “Monobear was here a little while ago. He’s tryin’ to make us murder again. This time, he’s turnin’ down the temperature. Alex reckons that it’ll be freezin’ in here in a few days. That’s why it’s gone so cold this mornin’.”

“Is it? I didn’t notice.”

Michael looked sceptically at the boy. “In _those_ shorts? Yeah, right.”

Seán briefly glanced up from his scrambled egg. “So, who d’you think will do it?”

“Huh?” Michael was thrown off-guard by the sudden change of topic.

“Who’s going to kill next?”

Michael swallowed nervously. “I…dunno. I don’t think anybody’s going to do it.”

Seán raised an eyebrow. “You seriously think nobody will be selfish enough to do it?”

“Wh-why? Do you?”

“Of course,” Seán scoffed. “I’ve seen what these lads are like. Give them a reason and they’ll kill their bloody grannies.”

“They’re not like that.”

“Oh, really? Then why did the singer kill that annoying one? What was her name?”

“Gráinne.”

“Right. Why’d she end up cold on the floor if we’re all so pure-hearted and gorgeous?”

“Maybe Deirdre was just an exception,” Michael muttered hopefully.

“She wasn’t,” Seán asserted. “The point is that we’re all just savage animals on the inside.” He smirked. “I would know: I’m a hurler.”

“We’re people,” Michael said. “Not all of us are able to kill someone in cold blood.”

Seán shook his head. “Is that what you think? People are _bastards_ , Mick. It’s times like these that prove it. Who could come up with an idea like trapping teenagers in a school and makin' them kill each other? A person, just like you or me.”

“Th-that’s…”

“Monobear might _look_ like an animal, but we all know there’s someone controllin' him, right? A human, the same as us. What better proof do you need?”

“I...stop.”

Seán blinked. “Wha’?”

“Just…stop talking like that.” Michael’s fists were clenched, and he was unable to look up from his lap. “Where did you get these cynical thoughts from? How can you be so cold?”

Seán stared at the other boy. All the things he’d been saying were just common sense, weren’t they? Nothing wrong with being realistic. Seán rarely considered anyone’s opinions, other than his own. But, seeing the Ultimate Vet look so distraught gave him a weird sensation.

He grumbled, not liking what he was about to say, but not able to stop the words from spilling out. “…My dad.”

“Sorry?”

“He was a GAA star, like me. The Ultimate Hurler.”

“Oh, yeah! You said he went to St. Elpis’, didn’t you?”

“I did. He was one of the best in the country. Every team wanted him to play for them. But, just when he was hittin’ his peak, he got his girlfriend pregnant with me. A year after I was born, she died. Cancer. And he got stuck with me. He never played hurlin’ again.”

“…I see.”

“My dad took up drinkin’, of course. Some nights, he’d tell me I ruined his life.”

Michael gaped. “But…that was hardly your fault!”

Seán nodded grimly. “I know. When I got old enough, I told him that it wasn’t my fault that the johnny broke. That’s when he did _this_.” He pointed to his slightly crooked nose. “Among other things.”

Michael was horrified. “Oh my God…”

“When he found out I was good at sports, too, he started tryin’ his hardest to make me the best. He wanted me to be what he couldn’t. He trained me hard, night and day. Wouldn’t accept anythin’ but the best.”

“Jesus, Seán, I never…”

But he was interrupted again. “He tried to stop me makin’ his mistakes. In other words, he wouldn’t let me near any women. The first girlfriend I ever had was chased out of my house with a hurl. The second one didn’t turn out much better. I tried sneakin’ the third one into my room, but we were overheard. I made sure he never found out about the other ones.” Seán sat back in his chair. “And that’s basically why I’m such a cynical bastard. I learned it all from my dad.”

Michael had an appalled expression. “I…never knew that you were bein’ abused. I’m sorry.”

Seán shrugged. “Don’t be. It’s because of him that people around the country know who I am. Lads look up to me, women want to ride me. Not that _he_ knows anythin’ about that.”

“You’re…actually happy about this?” Michael whispered.

An eerie smile crept across Seán’s face. “Why wouldn’t I be? I’m _famous_.”

Michael opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

“I’m finished my breakfast,” Seán pointed out. “So I’m goin' to head over to the alley.”

He left Michael sitting numbly at the table without saying goodbye.

 

*** 

 

Aisling made her way to the gym, regretting having worn her usual sleeveless t-shirt and shorts. She was cold, and the best way she knew how to warm up was to work out. As long as she didn’t wear herself out, she’d be able to spend the rest of the morning and a fair amount of the afternoon in there.

But, when she walked into the gym, she found Aidan already there, bench pressing. He was so focused on lifting the weight over his head that he paid no attention to the Ultimate Boxer as she approached.

“Shouldn’t you get someone to spot you?” she asked.

Aidan answered slowly, heaving with effort. “I was…goin’ to…ask…Ryan…”

“And why didn’t you?”

“I couldn’t…find him. He’s…probably off…flirtin’.”

Aisling snorted. “Probably. Here, if you want, I could spot you.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I want to have a chat.”

“Oh, then…go ahead,” he grunted.

Aisling hesitated. “So…what d’you want to talk about?”

Aidan peered quizzically at her. “You’re the one who…wanted to chat. What…do _you_ want…to talk about?”

“Oh, eh...” She thought for a moment. “What do you like to do when you’re not surfing, or swimming, or anything like that?”

Aidan set the barbell down for a moment as he responded. “Well, my _favourite_ pastime isn’t really somethin’ I can talk about in front of a lady,” he said, with deadly seriousness.

Aisling blushed. “Besides that! I thought that went without saying.”

“I like drinkin’.”

“Anything else?”

“Sleepin’?”

Aisling groaned. “Am I ever going to get a proper answer out of you, or what?”

Aidan sighed. “It’s just…it’s a bit embarrassin’.”

“Go on,” Aisling prompted. “Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on…”

He gritted his teeth. “I like fishin’, alright?”

“What’s so embarrassing about fishing?” she asked.

“Well, it’s not really a ‘social’ hobby, you know? It’s just me, sittin’ on my own, watching the water. It lets me relax and think about life, the universe and everythin’.”

“That’s beautiful.”

“I fuckin’ knew you’d make fun of me,” he growled.

“It’s alright,” she said, trying to suppress her smile. “I just didn’t know you were so _deep_.”

“Aisling, I swear to God…”

She raised her arms in defence. “Alright, I’m sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I like watching rom-coms and chick flicks. Really gushy, sappy ones. I’ve watched _The Notebook_ , like, fifty times and I always cry at the end.”

“Always?”

“Every bloody time. It’s part of a test I have to put any prospective boyfriend through; if they make it through the whole film, I’ll agree to go out with them.”

Aidan winced. _Those poor bastards,_ he thought. Aloud, he said, “D’you have a boyfriend at the moment?”

She nodded. “His name’s John. John Culleton. He lives back home in Clare. I was planning to call him when I got here,” she said, her expression growing melancholy. “But, now…I don’t know what I can do.”

In the awkward silence that ensued, Aisling decided to ask Aidan a similar question. “What about you? Have you a girlfriend?”

He shook his head.

“Oh, good,” she said. “If you did, I was wondering how she’d react when she found out about you and Ryan.”

Aidan frowned. “What? What does Ryan have to do with it?”

Aisling stared. “I thought…you and him…you know.” Upon seeing Aidan’s blank expression, she admitted, “I thought you two were a couple.”

“You…what?” Aidan choked. “Why’d you think that?”

Aisling suddenly felt very sheepish. “Well, I mean…you hang around each other a lot. And you go swimming together.”

Aidan was staring at the girl with both eyebrows raised incredulously.

She hurried on. “And you’re _really_ comfortable around each other, even when you’re both half-naked. And you’re always hugging, too. And I even heard Ryan call you ‘sexy’ and another time I saw you touch his abs.”

“I did that _once_ ,” Aidan said indignantly.

“It’s still a bit…suspicious.”

“I…we’re not really…” Aidan grumbled. This whole idea was ridiculous. “I’m not gay. And neither is Ryan. We’re not…a couple.”

Aisling raised her hand to her cheek. “I’m sorry for assuming. It’s just that I’ve seen the pair of you wandering around the place and…it seemed like you _were_.”

Aidan turned from her and grabbed hold of the barbell again, before pausing. “Have you been spyin' on us?”

She flinched. “N-no! Not at all!”

Aidan grinned. “You _were_ creepin’ on us.”

“I wasn’t! I swear!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Aidan shook his head, still grinning from ear to ear. “Two handsome fellas, splashin’ around in the pool. Bet you couldn’t keep your eyes off us.”

“Don’t be an arrogant dickhead!” Aisling snapped, a scowl forming on her face.

Aidan laughed.

Aisling shook her head and left Aidan lying there on the bench. _Stupid, smug, little bastard,_ she thought bitterly. _I don’t know why I bothered talking to him._

Aidan watched the Ultimate Boxer stomp over to the treadmill, furiously pounding the buttons and hopping onto the machine with an expression of rage.

She was really very cute when she was angry.

 

*** 

 

Jack stuck around with Nathan for the rest of the day. They grabbed a bite to eat during the afternoon, before relaxing in the upstairs lounge. It had already grown too cold to go for a swim, so they just lazed around instead.

Nathan had a lot on his mind. He was getting used to fearing for his life. But, as he had recently discovered, he had the mind of an awkward fourteen year-old in the body of someone quite a bit older. And there wasn’t anyone he could talk to about it. Or was there?

All of a sudden, Jack said, “About earlier. When I told you that I wasn’t cold this morning?”

Nathan blinked. “What about it?”

“I…” Jack hesitated.

“Are you still worried about that?” Nathan asked incredulously. “Just forget about it. You had other things to be thinking about, so you didn’t realise it was cold. The end.”

Jack nodded hurriedly, relief apparent on his face. “Y-yeah! Great.”

Nathan swallowed, preparing himself. “So, I’ve been meaning to tell you something. Could you…look at me?”

Jack smiled awkwardly. “Are we going to have a _moment_?”

“I’m serious, Jack. Look at my face.”

Jack stared at Nathan. He stared into his eyes, looked at his mouth, his nose, his cheeks and his ears.

“I’m looking,” Jack muttered. “But what am I supposed to be seeing?”

“How old would you say I am?”

Jack considered the boy before him. “You don’t look much older than sixteen.”

Nathan nodded, seemingly satisfied with his estimate. “I was born on the twenty-ninth of February, in 1996.”

Jack quickly counted the years. “That would make you…three and a half.”

Nathan sighed. “I’m fourteen years old, Jack.”

He frowned. “You don’t look like you’re fourteen.”

“I know,” Nathan said. “And _that’s_ the problem. Up until I came here, to St. Elpis’, I was short, skinny and babyfaced, too. And now, look at me.”

Jack regarded his friend. If it were anyone else, he might have dismissed the information he’d just been given as a tall tale. However…

Nathan looked solemn. “I have no way of proving all that, of course. I don’t have any photos with me from before I came here. So, you probably won’t-”

“I believe you,” Jack said.

“…You do?”

“Yes. In fact, some weird things have been happening to me, too. It’s not as massive as what you went through, but…” He pointed to his face. “I had to shave this morning. And the morning before yesterday. I always try to stay as clean-shaven as possible, you see. But I never really needed to shave more than once a week in order to do that. Ever since we got here, I’ve had to shave every other day.”

Nathan’s eyes widened. “So, the same thing’s happened to you?”

“Yeah, but I haven’t grown as much as you say _you_ have. I might’ve packed on a bit of muscle, but…”

Nathan nodded. “Yeah, same here.”

Something clicked in Jack’s brain. “D’you remember the first day we got here? You said that your body was stiff, didn’t you?”

“So did you.”

“That’s right. And we thought it was because we’d been drugged. Do you think it might’ve been because we weren’t used to our bigger bodies?”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Nathan said. “What the hell’s going on?”

Jack’s mind was awhirl with possibilities and theories. “Let’s start with what we know: when we arrived in St. Elpis’ on the first of September, we were each drugged. When we woke up, the school had been transformed into a makeshift prison, while the staff and other students were nowhere to be found. From the clocks on the wall, we thought we’d only been out for a short while.”

Nathan’s stomach dropped. “But…it could’ve been a lot longer than that. It would’ve taken a while to transform the school into what it is now.”

“Exactly. And while we were unconscious, the staff and students were gotten rid of. If I had to guess, I’d say that the mastermind is responsible for their disappearance.”

Nathan raised one eyebrow. “This ‘mastermind’ being the person controlling Monobear?”

“That’s right; the one forcing us into this mess.”

“If they really _are_ just one person.” Nathan’s eyes fell upon the iron plates covering the windows. “I can’t really imagine all of this being organised by an individual.”

“Who knows?” Jack mused. “We have no way of knowing how long we were under. It could’ve been days, weeks, months…or years.”

Nathan suddenly felt very ill. “Years…?” he croaked.

“You said it yourself,” Jack pointed out. “You look a fair bit older than fourteen. You couldn’t have grown so much in a short space of time. I bet some of the others have grown, too.”

Nathan rested his head in his hands. “This is mad,” he breathed. “What kind of sick freak would do this to us?”

“The same kind of person who’d come up with something like Monobear,” Jack said drily.

“But, what about our families? Our friends? They were expecting me back in Wexford for the holidays. If I didn’t come back, well…I don’t know what they’d do.”

Jack nodded. “Same here. Maybe the government is covering all this up?”

Nathan gave him a doubtful look. “This is the _Irish_ government that we’re talking about. They couldn’t cover up something like this.”

A thoughtful silence fell between the two boys.

“We need to tell the others,” Jack eventually decided.

But Nathan shook his head rapidly. “We can’t. They’d never believe us. We don’t have any concrete proof. What would we tell them; that you’ve started shaving more often? That I’ve got actual biceps now?”

“We can’t leave them in the dark about this!” Jack protested.

“If we tell them now, at a time like this, we’ll only cause a panic. Didn’t you say that you wanted to protect everyone?”

“I…I did. I _do_.”

“Telling them all that they might have lost an indefinite period of their lives could result in a murder,” Nathan said. “We’d be playing right into the mastermind’s hands.”

“It…it doesn’t feel right lying to them like this.”

“We’re not lying,” Nathan insisted. “We’re just keeping quiet for the moment. At some point, once we’ve gotten solid proof, we’ll tell them. I promise.”

Finally, Jack nodded. “Alright. We’d better start looking for proof, then. Something that the mastermind has overlooked.”

They spent the rest of the evening discussing their theories on the mastermind and the motives behind their actions. All the while, the temperature inside the building dropped, little by little.

 

*** 

 

The mastermind studied the two boys on the couch, spying on them through one of the cameras. They were progressing farther than even the mastermind had anticipated. Still, they should have expected nothing less from _him_.

The mole was performing excellently still. None of the fools had any idea that their movements and words were being monitored in a series of reports written by one of their own.

The mastermind felt a smile creep across their lips as they reclined on their chair in the booth. If all went well, another murder would take place in a matter of days. And then no one would be able to stop the advancing sense of despair.

An alert appeared on one of the screens before the mastermind’s vision. This particular screen transmitted the feed from one of the exterior cameras. There was movement: several shadowy figures stalking across the courtyard, towards the main building.

With just a few simple keystrokes, they were eliminated, their bullet-riddled bodies pumping blood that spilled out across the once-beautiful courtyard.

The mastermind tutted. Hadn’t they all learned yet? Hope was a stubborn force, but not an indomitable one. Soon, the despair born in the hearts of St. Elpis’ students would sweep out across the nation. And from there, the world.

The booth was filled with laughter.


	14. Chapter 2: Despair Conditioning - Part 5

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

Niamh rang the doorbell hesitantly, scanning up and down the corridor. It was nearly Night Time, and so many of the rooms were currently occupied by their residents. Just as Niamh was beginning to get restless out alone in the hallway, the door opened and Ellie appeared in the doorway.

“Hey, hun!” the farmer said, beaming broadly. “Come in, come in! Louise is already inside.”

Niamh followed Ellie in through the door, closing it behind her.

Ellie’s room was cramped. Despite everything that had happened, she’d still found it appropriate to hang posters and banners on the walls and ceiling. There were clothes and pillows strewn about the floor. Niamh wasn’t exactly the tidiest girl in Ireland, but it still shocked her to see such a mess.

Ellie caught the look on Niamh’s face. “Alright?”

“Well…no. It’s nothing,” Niamh said.

But Ellie had understood the girl’s meaning. “Oh. Sorry, I didn’t realise my room was such a state. Back home, my mam would always make me tidy my room if there was even a hair out of place. But, now that I’m living here, there’s no one to tell me when it’s too messy.” A smile spread across her face. “I can be as untidy as I want!”

Niamh thought she understood. It was easier for Ellie to cope with the horrors around her if she was in a comfortable environment. Hence the banners and posters.  Football and rugby teams, boy bands and male underwear models stared down at the guitarist with frozen smiles.

At first, when Ellie had approached her about the idea of a sleepover, Niamh had been hesitant to agree. What if it was a trap? But, she realised, there was less of a risk if there were more than two people coming along. Since Louise had already been invited, Niamh felt a lot safer.

The Ultimate Journalist was relaxing on top of the bed, eating from a box of chocolates that was already half-empty. Upon seeing Niamh, she thrust the box out towards her.

“Want some?” she asked.

“No, thanks.”

Louise could barely disguise her glee as she resumed tucking into the chocolates, leaving the model standing awkwardly by the bed.

Ellie clapped Niamh on the back. “Come on, sit down on the bed. There’s room for all three of us.”

“We’re all going to sleep in the one bed?” Niamh asked, frowning.

“Louise brought spare blankets and pillows,” Ellie explained. “So one of us can sleep on the floor.” Her eyes fell upon the journalist, who was scribbling away in her usual manner. “Hey! I said you weren’t allowed bring the notepad!”

Louise pouted. “But…it’s just for some research,” she protested.

“The whole point of this was so we could all have a sleepover as normal girls,” Niamh pointed out. “Not Ultimate Students.”

“I…understand.” Louise sighed, tossing her notepad across the room. “So, what _are_ we going to discuss, may I ask? Purely for reasons of self-interest, you know.”

Niamh eyed Ellie. “The lads, probably,” she muttered.

But Ellie looked scandalised.”What sort of woman do you take me for? You don’t start off a sleepover by talking about men. That comes _later_ in the evening.” She stated it as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Really?” Louise glanced at Niamh, who shrugged in confusion.

“I think we should start by paintin’ our nails,” Ellie said, reaching over to the bedside locker and pulling out a nail painting kit. “Who wants to go first?”

Louise stuck her hand up in the air enthusiastically. “I do!”

Ellie set to work painting the girl’s fingernails, before moving onto her toenails. Niamh studied the farmer as she worked.

“Now,” Ellie said, pausing thoughtfully, “I think that this dark red colour really complements your skin tone.”

Louise smiled. “Do you think so? I shall have to remember that in future.”

Niamh smiled in bemusement at the antics of the two girls. “I never knew you were so…girly, Ellie.”

Ellie blinked. “Hmm?”

“Oh, no offense. But, I just thought that the Ultimate Farmer would be more of a tomboy, you know?”

“Why can’t I be both?” Ellie asked, smirking. “You shouldn’t be quick to put labels on people, like.”

Louise nodded. “I agree. It’s important to go into every situation without bias or strong opinions.”

Niamh’s eyes lowered. They were right, of course. She’d been too judgemental. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed.”

But she found herself being wrapped up in a strong pair of arms and held close to Ellie. “Ah, don’t worry, pet,” the farmer said. “We’ve all done that before. Now, I think it’s your turn to get your nails painted.”

Niamh smiled. “Thanks.”

The evening passed by like a dream: a memory of a happier life. One without murder and Monobear. One where the three of them could just be normal girls again. Not Ultimate Students. Not famous, successful women. Just teenagers. But, as they all realised quietly as they drifted off to sleep that night, it was all too good to last.

 

***

 

The next day was a cold one, of course. The temperature had descended below 10 0C, making the interior of the school approximately as cool as an average winter’s day. The students all found various ways of keeping warm. Most of the girls waddled around, wrapped thickly and snugly in blankets and sheets. Louise had even retrieved a scarf from her luggage, wrapping it proudly around her neck. The boys, on the other hand, tried to pretend that they weren’t just as cold as the girls. They swaggered around in their t-shirts and such, trying at all costs not to shiver. Several of the pupils who had barely visited a gym in their lives now found themselves frequenting the place, exerting themselves in an effort to stay warm. Some of the more self-obsessed boys saw the influx of people in the gym as an opportunity to show off. This macho bravado escalated until shirtless wrestling matches broke out on the mats. Aidan, Ryan and Seán spent much of the afternoon messing around on the mats, working themselves up and shrugging off the cold.

Alex observed them through the window, outside of the gym. Even in trying circumstances such as these, he wouldn’t be caught dead in a place like that. All that sweating and panting, stretching and lifting…it just wasn’t for him.

And yet, he lingered outside, staring in at the three boys as they took it in turns to wrestle. They grappled each other, clutching at each other’s bare shoulders, grunting in effort as they swayed and heaved. Even the usually-dour Seán was grinning, almost manically, as he struggled against Aidan’s grip. The smaller boy was holding his own against the tall hurler, his muscles bulging underneath his skin, contracting and loosening…

Alex shook his head vigorously, turning his back on the window with a scowl. How could he have let himself get distracted like that? He was an intellectual and a scientist, not a voyeur. But there was a small, persistent part of his brain that was drawn to the bare, sculpted flesh on display. Even now, that voice whispered in his ear, compelling him to turn around and take it all in. It sickened him that he could be so easily made weak by his own desires.

He was still scowling when he became aware of Fionn’s presence beside him. The Ultimate Rugby Star was staring through the window, as Alex had been doing only a moment before. Alex observed the taller boy, studying his facial expressions, trying to gauge his thoughts.

“…Do you want to join in?” Alex muttered to him.

Fionn blinked, colour rising in his face. “…No. No, I don’t. I don’t think I’d be able to perform at my best with all those people watching.”

Alex followed his gaze to the girls who had gathered near the wrestling match. They were staring open-mouthed at the boys as they grappled and fought. Had he, too, been acting so transparent?

“Pathetic,” he said quietly.

Fionn glanced at the other boy. “It’s just human nature. They’re not doing anything wrong, really. Those lads are only doing this for the attention, anyway.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. He decided to examine the wrestling boys again. This time, he decided, he would focus on their faces rather than their bodies. Indeed, he noticed that their eyes would flicker to the crowd of spectators every once in a while. Seán’s moved more often than Aidan’s. Ryan, who was standing on the sidelines for this match, was similarly intent on being the centre of attention. He faked a yawn, stretching his arms in a way that accentuated his biceps, casting a brief look over at the girls in the hope that they had noticed.

“I take it that you don’t appreciate such attention?” Alex asked.

Fionn grumbled. “Not really. Not in the way _they_ do, anyway. It’s probably the thing I hate most about being a rugby star.” He chuckled. “I suppose you probably wonder why someone would be a sports star if they didn’t want attention.”

But Alex shook his head. “It makes sense, from a certain point of view. You enjoy rugby because it’s your passion, not because you want fame or interest.”

Fionn peered at him. “How’d you know that?”

Alex didn’t meet his eye, watching instead as Seán stepped back from the mat and allowed Ryan to take his place. “I’m the same way. Physics is what I’m passionate about. I don’t want glory or notoriety, just the satisfaction of doing what I love.”

A small smile pulled at the edges of Fionn’s mouth. “I didn’t think you were passionate about anything.” He hesitated. “Or, I _used_ to not think so, until I heard you sing the other night.”

“O-oh?” Alex was taken aback.

“Yeah,” Fionn said, a note of admiration in his voice. “You really blew me away that night. _Us!_ ” he corrected himself. “You blew _us_ away with your performance. It was great.”

There was an uncomfortable silence that made Fionn regret ever speaking at all. But, when Alex turned to him, he was smiling.

“Thank you,” he said.

“R-right,” Fionn said quickly. “No prob.”

There was a cacophony of delighted shrieks from inside the gym that drew the two boys’ attention back to the wrestling match. Ryan and Aidan had stripped down to their tight-fitting boxers, before resuming the battle.

Alex wrenched his eyes away from the spectacle. “I’m going somewhere else,” he said.

Fionn straightened up. “Me too.”

They walked away from the gym, not daring to look back. Unsure of where exactly the other wanted to go, they took to wandering around the corridors together. With nearly the entirety of the group inside the gym, the rest of the building was left free, now that Orlagh was no longer prowling around. After her breakdown a few days beforehand, the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir had become bizarrely quiet and reclusive. She had hardly been spotted outside of her room, even when Seán had started to open up slightly. The two of them could go wherever they wanted without fear of interruption. The thought of spending time with one of his ‘peers’ had once seemed ludicrous to Alex. But now, he had mixed with his fellow students of St. Elpis’ College, and they had proven to be more worthwhile company than he had expected. Niamh turned out to have a keen interest in his field of expertise, and hardly any of the other students had been especially put-off by his curt persona. For the first time in memory, people were interested in _who_ Alex was, rather than _what_ he was. People were interested in him. And, in turn, he was now interested in people. Certain people more than others.

Fionn was no mathematical genius like Niamh. He wasn’t as passive as Nathan, or as assertive as Jack. He wasn’t as aggressive as Seán, or as laid-back as Aidan. In fact, despite his intimidating exterior, Fionn proved to be rather meek and self-conscious. Alex had already known he was a keen seamster, but it turned out that he also liked cooking. What’s more, he was clearly embarrassed by his hobbies.

“What for?” Alex asked when the topic arose.

“Well…I mean,” Fionn dithered. “Rugby players like me…we’re not supposed to _do_ that sort of thing.”

Alex frowned. “Why not? I used to do musical theatre, you know. Even though I’m a scientist.”

Fionn gritted his teeth. “It’s not the same.”

“I don’t understand.” Maybe it was because he wasn’t a rugby star? He didn’t have much interest in sport of _any_ kind, really. His point of reference was limited.

But, despite their differing backgrounds and professions, there were similarities between them. Alex felt a bond forming between himself and Fionn. And, for once, growing closer to someone wasn’t something that Alex feared.

For one of the first times in his life, Alex was glad to have a friend.

 

*** 

 

Ciara was wandering down towards the refectory just before six o’clock, feeling peckish, when she bumped into Ryan. He had a towel slung around his neck and his hair was wet.

“Hey, there,” he said, wearing his trademark grin. “Fancy meeting _you_ here.”

She smiled back. “Hello, Ryan. What’re you doing here?”

“Oh, you know, just _chillaxing_. I just took a shower, you know.”

“Yes. I noticed.”

His eyes glittered. “So, what did you think of the wrestling earlier? You were watching, right?”

“I doubt there was anyone in this place who _wasn’t_ watching,” Ciara muttered.

Ryan chuckled. “Yeah, I know. So, what did you think?”

Ciara frowned. Was he trying to fish for compliments? Surely he wasn’t that desperate? _Well_ , she thought, _two can play at_ that _game._

“Oh, it was amazing!” she said with relish. “The sight of such gorgeous boys going at each other…” She trailed off meaningfully, letting her eyes glaze over.

Ryan’s grin spread. Obviously, he wasn’t picking up on Ciara’s sarcasm. “Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

But Ciara wasn’t finished. “Especially Aidan. He’s just so sexy! And seeing him in those tiny boxers…” She licked her lips. “I was in heaven. He’s _such_ a ride!”

Ryan’s grin turned wistful. “Yeah, I know…” He stiffened. “Oh, eh, I mean…”

Ciara smirked. “Gotcha,” she said triumphantly.

Ryan scowled. “You…” He turned his head away angrily. “That was _really_ sneaky of you.”

She folded her arms. “Serves you right for fishing for compliments.”

He groaned. “I suppose the secret’s out.”

“It wasn’t really that much of a secret,” Ciara said. “Everyone sees the way you two act around each other. And Louise already told me that you’re bisexual.”

“Ugh. Damn my loose lips.” He paused. “It’s true. I…I like him. But he’s my best friend here, so…” He grimaced, shaking his head dismissively. “Why am I even talking about this? Let’s change the subject. What’s it like, being the Ultimate Guitarist?”

Ciara shrugged. “I dunno. What’s it like _not_ being the Ultimate Guitarist?”

Ryan grunted. “I suppose it was a bit of a stupid question. You said your…dad taught you how to play, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, he did. I started learning when I was still fairly small. I knew from the start it was what I wanted to do.” She gave him a curious look. “What about you? Did you always want to become a dancer?”

“Of course!” Ryan exclaimed. “I have two sisters, and they were always singing and dancing around the house. So, I just copied what they did.” His smile faded a bit. “My dad wanted me to play rugby instead of ‘prancing around onstage’. I showed _him_ ,” he said, a touch darkly.

“So,” Ciara said, a smile forming on her face again, “you’re basically the same as _Billy Elliot_?”

Ryan wagged a finger at her. “Don’t you _dare_ disrespect that film! _Billy Elliot_ was an inspiration to me!”

Ciara erupted into giggles at the stern look on the dancer’s face.

“I’m serious,” he protested, unable to suppress a smile of his own.

Once the fit of giggles had passed, Ciara’s face grew sombre. “So, your dad didn’t like you dancing?”

Ryan inhaled sharply. “He still doesn’t. Never really approved of anything I did, really. I suppose it didn’t help that I went out of my way to piss him off.” He smiled fondly. “I remember the evening I brought home one of my friends, pretending he was my boyfriend. You should’ve seen my dad’s face. Especially when he walked in on the two of us riding.”

Ciara’s eyes widened. “Really?! I thought you said he was just a friend?”

“He _was_ ,” Ryan said. “A friend with benefits.”

“…I should’ve known.” Ciara fell silent, before saying in a quiet voice. “My dad’s all I have. I barely knew my mum before she died in that car crash.”

“…Do you want to talk about it?”

Ciara shook her head. “Why would I? There’s nothing to talk about. I’d _much_ rather talk about a certain someone’s passion for a small, muscular ginger fella.”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “When you say it like that, it sounds much weirder than it actually is.”

Ciara walked past the dancer, heading towards the staircase. “We can talk about it over dinner, if you’d like.”

Ryan grinned.

 

***

 

That night, everyone tried their best to wrap up warm and fend off the cold, to no avail. At ten o’clock that evening, at the onset of Night Time, the temperature hit freezing point. Nathan piled up as many blankets and sheets as he could on himself, but the chill was prevailing. Fortunately, he was tired enough to fall asleep before the true cold set in.

It seemed like no time at all later when the loudspeaker in his room blared out the morning announcement. Nathan winced, both from the sudden noise and the freezing cold. His shower that morning was as hot as he could bear, but it still wasn’t enough to remove the chill from his bones.

The other students, he found as he went for breakfast, were in similar states of discomfort. Once again, many of the girls had brought their blankets with them. A handful of the lads had opted to do the same. However, a nagging sensation in the back of Nathan’s mind persisted throughout the meal.

“Everything alright, Nate?” Jack asked as he sat down in his usual spot beside the Ultimate Lucky Student. “Feeling the chill?”

Nathan nodded, only half-listening to Jack’s words. “I…actually thought it’d be colder,” he admitted.

“Really?”

“Yeah. It was supposed to hit zero degrees last night, and it should be a fair bit lower than that by now. It doesn’t really feel like it, though.”

Jack shrugged. “Maybe you’re getting used to the cold?” he mused, with a note of optimism.

Nathan supposed that Jack must have been right. He resumed eating his breakfast, glancing up briefly as Michael walked in.

_Odd_ , Nathan thought, _he’s usually much earlier than this._

It all became clear a few minutes later, when Louise stood up from her seat, looking concerned.

Niamh tugged at the journalist’s sleeve. “What’s wrong?”

She swallowed deeply. “Ellie isn’t here.”

The refectory fell silent as everyone overheard Louise’s words.

“Neither are Seán or Orlagh,” Aisling pointed out.

But it was a naïve comment, and they all knew it. Even as Seán began warming up ever so slightly, he still refused to come to breakfast at half-past seven every morning. Orlagh, likewise, had not appeared at the breakfast table for some time now. Ellie, on the other hand, was always there, scoffing down a plate full of rashers, beans, or scrambled egg.

Nathan caught Jack’s eye and an understanding passed between them. There may have been a reason that the temperature had stopped lowering.

“We’re going to go look for her,” Jack said.

Louise marched over to join them. “I’m coming, too.”

“Same here,” Fionn said, pushing his chair back and getting to his feet.

Turning their backs on the concerned faces of their companions, the four of them all but sprinted out of the refectory. Their first stop was the dormitories, as they were the closest.

“Ellie?” Louise called out for her friend. “Ellie?!”

“Where are you?” Fionn joined in.

“Louise, d’you know which room is Ellie’s?” Jack asked.

She nodded. “It’s number nine, I think.”

They dashed over to the door marked with the number indicated, fumbling with the lock. To their surprise, the door swung open.

“Ellie?” Louise called again. “Are you- _aaaaagh!_ ”

The journalist’s shriek echoed through Nathan’s numb mind as he gazed upon the horrific scene before him. Splayed out across the bed was a single figure, covered in a thick layer of dried blood. The sheets, too, were stained with the awful colour. Lying, face-up, on top of the bed, with her form covered in the blood-soaked sheet, was the body of Ellie O’Donaghue, the Ultimate Farmer.


	15. Chapter 2: Despair Conditioning - Part 6

_Laethanta Mínormálta_  -  Abnormal Days

They stood for a long time in the doorway, transfixed by the gruesome scene. Louise was sobbing quietly, and even Fionn’s body was trembling with grief. Nathan was in disbelief, but his shock was nothing compared to the shame and guilt Jack felt.

“I should’ve protected her,” he whispered dully. “I promised I wouldn’t…I wouldn’t…”

They were interrupted from their state of despair when someone barged into them from behind.

“What’s goin’ on?” Seán asked, his hair a tangled mess. “Why are…what the _fuck_?!” he shouted upon catching a glimpse of the bedroom interior.

Just then, the loudspeaker emitted the body announcement message.

_“Attention, all students! A dead body has just been discovered! Everyone may proceed with the investigation until the school trial begins in several hours time. Happy hunting!”_

Jack turned to face the Ultimate GAA Head, saying, “Seán, we need you to go and get the others. They’re in the refectory right now.”

He blinked. “But, I…”

Fionn grabbed one of Seán’s shoulders. “Come on, I‘ll go with you.”

Their voices drifted off down the corridor, leaving Nathan alone with Louise and Jack.

Jack took a deep breath and tried to ignore the stench of blood that wafted in. “Alex will be coming here in a few minutes. He’ll want to investigate the way he did before.”

Nathan nodded, understanding Jack’s meaning. “If we want to examine the body, we should do it now, right?”

“Right.” He glanced at the shaken journalist. “You’ll watch over us, won’t you? Make sure that we don’t interfere with anything?”

She nodded, and the two boys made toward the bed. The odour of blood was stronger than ever, and holding his breath for so long was beginning to make Nathan dizzy. Ellie’s frozen corpse was lying on the right side of the bed, with her head resting on the pillow. The rest of her body was covered by the bloody sheets. Her eyes were closed, though her mouth was hanging silently open. There was a savage wound on the front of her neck, over her windpipe: likely the fatal injury.

Gingerly, Nathan reached out and rolled back the sodden sheets. Upon seeing what was underneath, he instinctively threw them back over the dead girl’s torso, his face burning.

Jack caught sight of him covering up Ellie once more with the sheets. “Did you find anything?” he asked.

“Th-there were a few more wounds on the victim’s chest and below her shoulders. I…I’d perform a further examination but…” He took a breath. “She’s not wearing any clothes.”

Jack frowned. “Oh, really? With the temperature being this cold?”

“Well, she’s _definitely_ not wearing a bra, anyway,” Nathan muttered.

“Strange…” Jack had finished searching the room. Aside from the bed, there didn’t seem to be any sign of bloodshed or a struggle.

Cries and gasps from the doorway heralded the arrival of the other students.

“Oh no!”

“God…”

“How did this happen?!”

“Move out of the way,” said a serious voice. The crowd parted, allowing Alex to enter the room. The Ultimate Physicist was resuming his role as the head of investigations, assuming a professional front as he did so.

“I would like to undertake this task in a similar manner to how the last case was dealt with. I’ll oversee this investigation.” He glanced briefly at the two boys. “Jack and Nathan, I presume you will assist me again?”

“We will,” Nathan answered.

“Then you may proceed with the investigation of the other rooms. I shall take charge of the crime scene.” He turned to Fionn. “Will you act as the guard once more?”

The rugby player nodded. “Yeah. But who’ll be the other guard? Ellie…” He trailed off uncomfortably.

“I’ll do it,” Louise said, having dried her tears. “I was already watching Jack and Nathan in here, so I’ll keep going.”

Alex assessed her, taking in her dishevelled appearance. She was clearly distraught by these events.

“Are you certain?” he asked.

“Absolutely.”

Just then, a chillingly familiar voice called out to them. “Aww, it so nice to see you all working together! _Not!_ ”

Monobear had appeared on the scene, sitting casually on the edge of the bed, completely unfazed by the corpse lying only a metre or so away.

“But,” he said, “I guess the fact that one of you guys murdered her makes up for it.”

Jack stared at Monobear, an expression of horror etched onto his face. “Then…it’s true. Another murder…”

“That’s right!” Monobear cried cheerily. “Just like last time, one of your buddies has killed _another_ one of your buddies! Gosh, with friends like these…” He clambered up so that he was standing upright on the bed. “I’m impressed. It’s been so long since the last murder, I was worried that no one would have the guts to do it!”

Fionn snarled. “You sick bastard! It’s your fault that she’s dead! _You_ did this!”

“Upupupu…me? Now, what’s the phrase commonly used in this situation…?” He placed a paw under his chin as he thought. “Oh, right! I remember now! Ahem-hem…” He cleared his throat, before bellowing, _“You’ve got that wrong, dumbass!”_

“Wh-what?!”

“I didn’t do anything to her. All I did was turn the heating down! _You_ guys are the ones who’re responsible for her death! Upupupu! That’s why we’re holding the school trial, after all.”

Monobear placed his hands on his hips. “Anyway, I just came here to give you folks the sequel to the Monobear File. I call it, ‘Monobear File 2: The Second Chapter: File Harder: The Revenge: Electric Boogaloo’! Or just ‘Monobear File 2’, for short.”

There was a series of beeps as each Student ID Card in the room lit up and received the new Monobear File.

“Great!” Monobear said, rubbing his paws together. “See you losers at the trial!” He vanished, leaving a sense of despair and misery behind, as usual.

Alex was the first to recover. “Very well. Get to work,” he ordered Nathan and Jack, who all but leaped to attention.

“I’ll need a few volunteers to come search the bedrooms with me,” Nathan said. “Seán, I presume you’re coming with me?”

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah. God knows I don’t want you snoopin’ around my room.”

Louise eyed the GAA head suspiciously as Nathan said, “Great. Anyone else?”

Two more people agreed to come along: Aidan and Aisling.

“Then the rest of you,” Jack said, “can search the other places. Everyone, split up into pairs.” He called out orders as their voices disappeared off down the corridor.

With everyone else gone, Alex set to work. He hadn’t been inside Ellie’s room before, and so he began by surveying the surroundings. Posters and banners – mostly consisting of the Mayo colours of green and red – covered the walls almost entirely. Football teams, rugby teams and other sports iconography were depicted in the various posters. Others featured scantily-clad, muscle-bound men, prompting Alex to turn his attentions elsewhere. After scanning the room, he observed that there were no bloodstains anywhere in the room other than the bed. Indeed, the rest of the room, although untidy in the extreme, was free of any indication of a murder. Alex filed this piece of information away for now.

He approached the bed, eyeing the victim’s body. The first thing that anyone would notice was the gaping hole in her neck that pierced straight through the trachea. Dried blood radiated outward from that single wound, it seemed, staining the pillows, the sheets and the victim’s body itself.

Fionn spoke, interrupting Alex’s thoughts. “Al, d’you want me to read out the Monobear File again?”

“…Yes. That would be prudent,” Alex replied.

“Alright. Let’s see… _The victim, Ellie O’Donaghue, was murdered just after midnight. She was repeatedly stabbed by a sharp, narrow object in the throat, puncturing her windpipe. She died shortly afterwards. The body was found in her bedroom._ That’s it. Not much to go on, really.”

“Perhaps,” Alex murmured, before resuming the investigation.

Examining the fatal wound more closely, Alex found that it concurred with the information as given in the Monobear File: the wound was deep, but narrow, as opposed to the previous murder. Alex doubted that Ellie had been killed with a kitchen knife. He had seen no sign of the weapon as of yet.

Deciding to investigate the victim’s body further, he removed the blood-soaked sheets, balling them up and placing them at the foot of the bed. Fionn gasped as Ellie’s naked body was put on display. He turned away awkwardly.

“Fionn,” Alex said wearily, “I need you to be a bit more professional.” He softened and said, “Just for a little while, alright?”

Fionn swallowed. “Y-yeah. No problem, Al.”

Returning to the examination, Alex found several shallower wounds on Ellie’s chest and collarbone area. They were similarly narrow, and glistened with blood. Otherwise, the corpse was unmarked. With the blanket gone, Alex spotted something else on the fitted sheet: a small gathering of stains on the left side of the bed, far-removed from the bloodstains. They had dried into the fabric, turning a unique, whitish colour.

Alex’s examination of these new stains brought his face close to them. A bizarre smell wafted into his nose.

_Could it be…?_

He required a second opinion. “Fionn,” he said, “would you kindly smell these stains here?”

The Ultimate Rugby Star regarded his friend warily. “…Are you sure?”

“I need you to confirm the nature of these stains. Please,” he added.

Fionn braced himself, before lowering his face to the mattress. Almost immediately, he caught the scent emanating from the stains. He recoiled.

“Christ!” he choked. “Th-that’s…I think it’s…”

Fionn’s disgusted reaction was all the proof Alex needed. “Semen,” Alex muttered. “As I had suspected.”

Fionn gagged. “Why did you make me do that?!”

“It was the best way of confirming my suspicions,” Alex replied simply.

“Y-you could’ve _told_ me you thought it was jizz!” Fionn protested.

“Then you wouldn’t have smelled it,” Alex pointed out.

“Well, I…”

“Wait a moment,” Louise said. “If there are traces of semen on the bed, then that means…”

Fionn’s eyes widened. “Oh, yeah! There must’ve been a fella in here.” He turned back to Alex. “D’you think Ellie was…eh…” He wasn’t quite sure how to phrase his thought. “…You know?” he finished lamely.

But Alex had understood his meaning. “It’s an entirely likely supposition that Ellie was engaging in sexual intercourse with someone shortly before her death.”

“And whoever she had sex with…is the one who killed her,” Louise stated.

Alex nodded. “That seems to be the most probable scenario.”

Fionn scowled. “That’s sick! Who’d do something like that?”

A nagging thought cropped up in Alex’s mind. If there was indeed a boy in here that had had sex with Ellie, then there should be some evidence to prove it. He decided to search the room once more. There may have been something he had overlooked. In the previous case, he’d missed the blood under the victim’s fingernails, which had turned out to be a vital clue in identifying the culprit. He’d be damned if he let another piece of evidence slip past him like that again.

 

*** 

 

Tried as he might, Ryan couldn’t concentrate. He was unable to focus on the investigation. Not that he was _ever_ the pinnacle of concentration. But it was impossible to search for clues when his partner was sitting forlornly on a nearby couch. Jack had sent Ciara off to coerce Orlagh out of her room, while Niamh and Michael investigated the first floor. Jack and Ryan were supposed to be in charge of the ground floor, but Jack’s heart just didn’t seem to be in it.

Ryan sighed, before moving over to the couch and sitting beside the Ultimate All-Rounder. “What’s the matter?”

When Jack didn’t answer, he gave him a nudge in the side. “Come on,” Ryan said. “You can tell your buddy Ryan.”

Jack looked up and met his eye. “The last time the two of us were here…after Gráinne had died, I promised you I wouldn’t let anybody else get hurt.” He spread his arms wide, gesturing to their surroundings. “And now, look. I’ve let someone else get killed, too.”

Ryan saw the sadness in Jack’s eyes and said, “Don’t let it get you down. You couldn’t have known who was going to be killed, or by whom. You’re only human, Jack.”

“But I’m an _Ultimate_ Student,” he pointed out. “We’re supposed to be the best.”

“You tried your best,” Ryan told him. “You couldn’t do anything more.” He paused. “But, if you had to ask me, I’d say you’re doing a good job.”

Jack blinked. “What?”

“I’ve seen you going around the place and talking to everyone whenever you can. Even Seán. You’re trying to get everyone to band together and fight Monobear.”

Jack’s gaze dropped. “I thought it was working.”

Ryan edged closer to him on the couch. “But these things take time. Even so, I can tell everyone looks up to you as a leader. You’re the best we’ve got, Jack. So don’t let this get you down.”

Jack regarded the Ultimate Dancer silently for a few moments.

_If he only knew…_

Jack mentally shook himself, disregarding those insidious thoughts.

“Thank you, Ryan,” he said aloud. “You’re…a good friend.”

Ryan grinned. “Now, if only we could have these chats any time _other_ than just after a murder.” He got up, pulling Jack with him. “Now, come on. We’ve got some investigating to do. Oh, and don’t worry. I won’t let Nathan know about your sad spell.”

Jack frowned. “Why not?”

Ryan winked.

 

*** 

 

Nathan sighed and kneaded his forehead as Seán tore around the bedroom, uprooting objects and carelessly replacing them with about as much grace as an angry bull in a china shop.

“Seán,” Nathan said wearily, “would you _please_ act more maturely?”

Seán glared at him. “What? I’m only showing your room the same respect as _you_ showed mine the last time.”

Aisling was disgusted by Seán’s petty behaviour. “I’ve had enough of this. We haven’t found anything suspicious in Nathan’s room, either. Let’s just go onto the next one.”

Aidan nodded in agreement, and thus Seán was forced by a majority vote into leaving Nathan’s unfortunate bedroom alone.

The next room to be investigated was Michael’s. He’d helpfully left the door unlocked, allowing the four of them to stroll inside. They immediately set about inspecting the walls, floors, the bed, the desk and chair, and so on.

By this point, Nathan was slightly despondent. He doubted they’d ever find any clues in the bedrooms. He didn’t think there’d be anyone stupid enough to hide critical evidence in their own room. But he was quickly proven wrong only a few minutes into the investigation.

Aidan was searching under the bed, having caught sight of something suspicious lurking there. But the syringes he’d spotted were located near a bottle marked ‘insulin’, so he ignored them. But he couldn’t ignore a long, thin object lying near the syringes. He reached out and took hold of it, crawling out from under the bed and holding the object up to the light.

“What the hell’s this?”

Nathan turned to see Aidan holding a screwdriver. His jaw dropped when he saw the bloodstains coating the blade.

“Where did you find that?” Nathan asked.

“It was shoved in under the bed,” he replied. “Someone tried to hide it.”

Aisling gasped. “Did…Michael do that?”

Aidan glanced at her. “I don’t think anyone else could’ve done it.”

Seán was rooting through the bedside drawers, and he pulled out the toolbox set. He showed it to the others. “See this? One of the screwdrivers is missin’. There’s one of these in every room,” he reminded them. “And we’ve been checkin’ as we went along. So far, this is the only room with a missin’ screwdriver.”

Aisling eyed the screwdriver warily. “What does this mean…?”

Aidan raised an eyebrow. “What do you _think_ it means? Michael’s the killer.”

“I…I don’t believe it,” Aisling whispered.

“It’s fairly surprisin’ to me, too,” Seán said, thinking about his last talk with Michael. “But it’s obvious that Mick’s the one.”

Nathan was staring intensely at the screwdriver, thinking hard. Could _Michael_ , of all people, have murdered someone?

“Let’s hold onto the screwdriver for now,” he said eventually. “It’ll probably be important for the trial.”

They spent another few minutes searching through Michael’s room before moving on to the next one, knowing in their hearts that they wouldn’t find another clue as big as the last one.

 

*** 

 

Niamh was standing outside the library, leaning casually against the wall. She was waiting for her partner to emerge from the toilets. Apparently, although she didn’t want to think about it, the events of the morning had taken their toll on Michael’s bladder. She, too, had been shocked to the core by Ellie’s death. Although she had never had much contact with the Ultimate Farmer, she seemed to be a nicer person than she let people think. What worried her more was the fact that one of the others had killed her. Once again, one of her companions – maybe even one of her friends – had been responsible for a murder. It was a terrifying thought.

Niamh was jolted out of her musings by the return of Michael. He was beaming brilliantly as he emerged from the bathroom, holding something in his now-gloved hand.

“Look what I found in the toilet!” he exclaimed, causing Niamh to shrink away from him.

“I don’t want to see it!” she cried.

“No, no, it’s not what you think!” Michael protested, displaying the object for her to examine.

Niamh peered at the small, wet, plastic thing in Michael’s hand. “Is that…?” She recoiled. “It’s a condom.”

Michael nodded. “Exactly! And it was in the toilet, too!”

Niamh’s eyes fluttered closed in an effort to remain calm. “And why, may I ask, did you _remove_ it from the toilet?”

“It could be important evidence,” Michael said. “After all, it was used and someone tried to dispose of it. And I can safely say it wasn’t there yesterday.”

“So…you’re going to use that…thing as evidence in the trial?” Niamh asked.

“Of course!” Michael said brightly. “For all we know, it could be connected to the murder.” He marched off, holding the sodden condom in his gloved hand. “Come on,” he said. “I have some plastic bags in my room we can seal this into.”

Niamh let out a shuddering breath. “How did this sort of thing happen to me?” she wondered.

 

***

 

Alex was nearly finished with the bedroom, and he made to depart. He’d need to meet up with Nathan, Jack and the others to discuss their findings. But, as he was leaving the room, a voice called out.

“Wait!” Louise said. “There’s something hidden under the sheet.”

Alex whirled around, running his eyes over the bed, searching for the ‘something’ Louise had spotted. His gaze fell upon a bump in the bed: an object stashed away beneath the fixed sheet. With some help from the others, he lifted the sheet up and withdrew the mysterious object. It was long, narrow and grey, with a pointed tip on the end. The tip was covered in a thin layer of blood that stood out from the grey.

Fionn frowned. “That’s…a knitting needle.”

Alex glanced up at him. “You’re sure?”

“Positive,” the rugby player replied. “Niamh let me have her sewing kit when she asked me to fix up her dress, remember? There was a knitting needle in the kit that looked just like that one. Every girl in this place has a kit in their room, in the same place where the lads have a toolbox.”

Louise reached over and opened the bedside locker, pulling out drawer after drawer until she found a large box filled with needles, thread and more.

“The knitting needle is missing from this kit,” Louise observed. “And this particular sewing kit was in the wrong place.” She gestured to the top drawer. “It should’ve been in there. But it was down in the bottom drawer instead.”

Fionn folded his arms as he thought. “Maybe the killer tried to hide it?”

Alex was still examining the needle when the loudspeaker clicked and Monobear’s shrill voice chorused around the school.

_“Alllllright, boys and girls! That’s enough investigating! Get your arses down to the entrance hall, ASAP!”_

The three looked at each other apprehensively. They hadn’t finished fully examining the scene, even with all the time they had been given. They doubted that the others had concluded their own investigations, either.

“Let’s go to the foyer,” Alex said to them both. “There’s nothing more we can do.”

They agreed, following the physicist out the door.

 

*** 

 

In a matter of minutes, the entrance hall filled up with students. The various different groups reconvened at the sport indicated by Monobear, preparing themselves for the trial ahead. Michael noticed several of the others casting glares at him. He didn’t know why they were being so cold, but it still made him feel uncomfortable.

The last two students to arrive on the scene were Ciara and Orlagh, the former dragged the latter by the hand. It was the first time most of them had seen the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir in quite some time.

Ciara explained. “I managed to get her out of her room, but she doesn’t seem to be in the mood for talking.”

She eyed the other girl warily. Orlagh was staring straight ahead, with blank, unseeing eyes.

Before the discussion of evidence could begin in earnest, the back wall of the foyer split open, as it had before, revealing the stairway that led down to the courtroom.

Wordlessly, the students crossed over to the stairs and began the long descent down into darkness.


	16. Chapter 2: Despair Conditioning - Part 7

_Triail na Scoile_ -  School Trial

The courtroom had changed since their last visit. The drab interior walls that had so reminded them of an ancient dungeon had been painted sloppily over with murals and paintings. The murals themselves depicted laughing children, wearing school uniforms, engaging in horrifying acts of violence. Severed limbs, emaciated bodies and ruptured organs were just a few of the atrocities that could be seen. Here and there, splashes of paint on the walls represented blood spatter. The disturbing paintings winded upwards with the walls, into the darkness above.

The students lingered in the doorway, transfixed by the gruesome murals.

“You like ‘em?” Monobear called, from his throne on the far end of the chamber. “I painted ‘em myself! I always wanted to be a painter, you know. But I was too cruel. That’s how life is sometimes: too cruel to be an artist, but too nice to be a politician! Upupupu!” He let out one of his trademark laughs, before shouting, “Now get to your podiums! Same places as last time! Move it!”

As they all resumed their places at the circle in the centre of the courtroom, they noticed that two more signposts had been erected at the podiums that had previously belonged to Deirdre and Ellie. It seemed that the chamber walls weren’t the only things that had changed. Michael and Fionn were now standing on either side of Ellie’s signpost, while Ryan and Seán’s podiums were next to Deirdre’s. Those who looked at the Ultimate Soprano’s signpost noticed that two microphones in the shape of an X had been painted on.

“Now then,” Monobear said, rubbing his paws together eagerly. “Who wants to begin?”

Louise, who had brought her usual notepad and pen, answered without looking up from her podium. “I will,” she said, immediately notating those two words.

Jack, who was standing beside her, leaned over with a look of concern. “Are you sure you’ll be able to act as a stenographer, as well?”

Louise nodded as she wrote down Jack’s question. “I will be fine.” She sniffed. “The facts of the case are as follows: Ellie O’Donaghue, the Ultimate Farmer, was murdered in her bed last night, shortly after twelve o’clock. According to the Monobear File, she was stabbed repeatedly through the throat.” She scribbled furiously.

Fionn took over the explanation, producing a long, grey object. “The only sharp weapon found on the scene was this knitting needle. It was hidden beneath the bed’s sheets by the killer.” He held out the needle for everyone to see. “Because of that, it must be the thing that killed her. Ellie was stabbed to death with this needle.” He glared distastefully at it, but was his bitter thoughts were interrupted by a shout from two spaces to his right.

“No, that’s wrong!” Nathan cried. “The murder weapon is this screwdriver!” He pulled out the bloody screwdriver, displaying it to the court.

Fionn blinked. “R-really? But, this needle has blood on it, too. And it was hidden at the crime scene.”

Alex studied the screwdriver. “Actually, Fionn, I believe Nathan is correct. Although I only managed a cursory examination of the entry wound, it seems to match more closely with the screwdriver’s blade than the needle. On top of that, the wound was particularly deep: the victim’s trachea was torn straight through. The entire blade of the screwdriver is covered in blood, while the needle has only a few stains near the tip.”

Fionn nodded, feeling a bit sheepish. “A-Alright. Then, the needle’s _not_ the murder weapon.”

From beside Fionn, Ciara frowned. “Then why’s the needle bloody at all if it’s not the murder weapon?”

“Maybe it’s a…whatever-you-call-it…?” Aidan struggled to remember the term. It was something to do with a fish. “…A red herring!” he cried eventually.

Aisling nodded. “Right, yeah. The killer must’ve planted it in the bedroom to make us think it was the real murder weapon.”

Michael screwed up his face as he thought. “Why would the culprit do that?”

His question was met with an uncomfortable silence, along with a few glares from the other side of the circle.

Nathan reluctantly explained. “It might’ve been that the killer hid the real murder weapon somewhere that would reveal his identity. So he left the red herring at the crime scene in order to divert attention away from it.”

Ryan raised an eyebrow at Nathan’s choice of words. “You seem fairly certain that the culprit is a fella.”

Nathan flinched. He’d barely noticed that he’d been using male pronouns to describe the killer. He was letting the evidence he’d found sway his opinion.

Alex intervened. “There were traces of semen found on the victim’s bed, beside her body. Our current hypothesis suggests that Ellie engaged in sexual acts with a male before her murder.

Shocked whispers passed around the courtroom, but they were drowned out by Monobear’s giggling.

“Upupu! _Scandelous!_ ” he cried. “And here I was thinking you guys were pure as the driven snow! What’ll happen if word gets out about _this_?”

Jack’s head snapped up at Monobear’s words. “What d’you mean _if word gets out_?”

Monobear clapped his paws over his deformed mouth. “My snout is sealed.”

“Wait a minute,” Michael said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small plastic bag. “I have something that supports Alex’s ‘hypothesis’.”

Niamh cringed, resting her face in her hands.

Aidan squinted at the object inside the plastic bag. “Is that…a johnny?”

Michael nodded. “That’s right. This condom was discovered in the upstairs toilets. It’s my belief that the killer tried to dispose of it by flushing it.”

Seán asked, “Then, how’d you find it? Didn’t it work?”

“No, I’m afraid not. None of the toilets in this building work at Night Time.”

“Why get rid of it _there_ , though?” Ciara pondered. “Couldn’t they just throw it into a bin?”

“The last time a culprit through evidence into a bin, it was found regardless,” Alex pointed out. “A toilet is a somewhat less-likely place to hide evidence.”

“All we need to do is find out who owns a box of condoms,” Michael said. “Then we’ll know who the killer is.” He nodded firmly. “Alright. Anybody who has some condoms in their room, raise your hand.”

Aidan, Ryan, Seán and Ciara raised their hands, some more hesitantly than others.

“Wait a minute,” Nathan said, before Michael could launch off on a wild goose chase. “Even if someone _doesn’t_ own any condoms, it doesn’t rule them out as a suspect. They could’ve stolen a packet from somebody’s room.”

“And there were a few packets in Ellie’s room,” Fionn said. “They could’ve gotten one there.”

Michael sighed. “So, my ‘vital evidence’ wasn’t really vital, at the end of the day.”

“But,” Alex said, “it _does_ make it much more probable that the male who engaged in sexual intercourse with Ellie is also the killer.”

“He rode her and then killed her?” Seán said, gaping slightly. “That’s…fucked up.”

Aidan groaned. “Alright, then, I might as well say it now.”

Jack looked at the surfer. “Sorry?”

Aidan pointed at Michael accusingly. “We found that screwdriver in _your_ room, Mick.”

Michael froze, his usual smile sliding off his face. “Wh-what?!”

“That screwdriver was taken from the toolbox in your room,” Seán said, glaring at the Ultimate Vet. “We searched all of the bedrooms, and yours was the only one with a missin’ screwdriver.”

Jack turned to his left, looking at Nathan. “Is this true?”

Nathan nodded hesitantly. “It is.”

There were cries and gasps, but no one looked more shocked than Michael himself.

“I…I don’t know what’s goin’ on!” he croaked. “H-how did that screwdriver get in there?”

“Where was the screwdriver found, exactly?” Niamh asked.

“It was hidden under the bed,” Aisling answered her.

“Next to some syringes,” Aidan added.

Louise looked up from her notepad. “Syringes?” she echoed, with a note of suspicion.

Michael swallowed, feeling the intense pressure as all eyes in the courtroom were on him. “I’m d-diabetic!”

Seán waved a hand dismissively. “The syringes don’t matter. The murder weapon was found under your bed. You hid it there.”

“No…n-no, I didn’t!” Michael tried to protest. “I…I stayed in my room the whole night, I swear! I never left!”

But nearly everyone was now giving him disgusted looks. His voice faltered beneath the weight of their glares.

“Hold on a sec,” Fionn said. “I spoke to Ellie a few days ago. She told me that she’d already asked Michael to, eh, _sleep_ with her. And he said no.”

Michael nodded frantically, latching onto the Ultimate Rugby Star’s words as though they were a lifeline. “Yeah! She…I did!”

“Ellie _told_ you that?” Ryan asked Fionn.

“Yeah. She told me…” He hesitated. It was an uncomfortable topic, but everyone’s lives were on the line. He believed Michael had been framed. It was up to him to help him in any way he could. “She told me that she had a list of all the fellas in this place. She was going through them, one at a time, asking them to ride her.”

Aidan’s eyebrows rose. “Really? Did she ask you, too?”

“Yeah, she did. I…I turned her down, though.”

Seán noticed the boy’s hesitation. “Maybe you changed your mind?”

“No, I didn’t.” Fionn clenched his fists.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! I’d never have sex with her!” he blurted out, before he could stop himself.

“Why not?”

“Because…!” Fionn sighed, before saying, in a lower voice, “Because I’m gay.”

Aisling blinked. “Huh?”

“I’m gay,” he said firmly. “And I told Ellie that. She wouldn’t have come back asking again. She told me that I was ‘off the list’, and so was Michael.”

“Where’s your proof?” Seán asked him.

“I don’t have any,” Fionn said through gritted teeth.

Jack intervened before Seán could disregard the rugby player’s story. “He doesn’t _need_ any proof. He’s not the one currently under suspicion.”

Michael flinched, while Fionn gave him an apologetic look.

“If Michael’s really the killer,” Nathan said, “then there should be more evidence tying him to the crime scene.”

“But, the murder weapon was found in his _room_ ,” Aisling said, her voice tinged with guilt.

Alex spoke up. “Michael, did you lock your room this morning?”

Michael thought for a long moment. “…No. I mean, I hardly ever lock it. I meant to go back and lock it, but the body was found before I could.”

“A likely story,” Seán said.

Lousie glared at him. “ _You’re_ one to talk!” she snapped. “You were the only one not in the refectory this morning when we realised Ellie was missing.”

“What about Orlagh?” Seán nodded towards the Gaeilgeoir, who remained as silent as ever.

Ciara shook her head, saying, “She couldn’t have done it. She’s been basically catatonic for the last few days.”

“Although,” Aisling said, “she might be faking it.”

“We cannot reject that possibility,” Alex admitted.

Aidan jerked his head at the GAA head. “What about Seán? He’s still fairly suspicious, too.”

Seán glared at the surfer.

“But Seán never comes down for breakfast at that time,” Michael pointed out. “He didn’t do anything different this mornin’.”

Seán turned to the vet, wondering why he was helping him.

“I wouldn’t say Seán is any more suspicious than Michael,” Ryan muttered.

But Jack was stroking his chin in thought. Was that really true?

Nathan caught sight of Jack’s expression. “Is something wrong, Jack?”

Jack’s eyes moved to the Ultimate GAA Head. “Seán,” he said, “I just realised something. You were in your room when we came to search for the body, right?”

Seán nodded, a frown creasing his brow. “Yeah, so?”

“But, when we found Ellie’s corpse in her room, you came running out.”

“Yeah. I heard all the screamin’ and shoutin’ in the corridor.”

Jack inhaled sharply. “Seán, the dormitories are _soundproofed_. All of them.”

Seán’s frown deepened. “Wh-what?”

Ciara nodded. “That’s right! You can’t hear anything from outside when the door’s shut.”

“Then,” Nathan said, “there’s no way you could’ve heard us _screaming and shouting in the corridor_ if you were in your room.”

And, just like that, the attention of the court was now on Seán.

“But…but I _was_ in my room!” he said desperately. “You were there! You saw me come out!”

Fionn nodded. “He’s right. He came out of his room when we found Ellie’s body.”

“So he must’ve had the door open,” Jack said, his mind whirling. “Even if it was open just a crack, he could’ve still heard us.”

Seán grimaced.

But Aisling had had a thought. “Didn’t he hear the body announcement? He would’ve come rushing out of the room when Monobear came on over the intercom.”

Seán seized his chance. “Yeah! That’s what happened! I heard the body announcement, ran out the door, and heard youse shoutin’ from nearby.”

Nathan gritted his teeth. They had no way to deny Seán’s claim, or so he thought.

Louise said, “As a matter of fact, that’s simply not true. I have a rather reliable memory, if I may say so. And I distinctly remember you arriving on the scene _before_ the body announcement came on.”

“It’s true,” Monobear said. “I was late giving the body announcement this morning. I was having a bear-nap when you guys woke me up! I usually give the announcement once three people have discovered a body.”

“So, Seán,” Jack said, confronting the GAA star, “how could you have known we were going to pass by?”

Seán swallowed his anxiety. “I…it was just a coincidence, that’s all! I was comin’ out of my room just as youse started screamin’. I heard youse and came runnin’ over!”

“Why were you leaving your room at that time?” Alex asked.

“Wh-what’s it to you?!” Seán yelled. “I can leave my room whenever I want!”

Ciara tutted. “You’re only digging yourself deeper.”

“Sh-shut the fuck up!” he shouted. “I didn’t fuckin’ kill her! How’d the screwdriver get in Mick’s room if I’m the killer?!”

Aisling gasped. “I know! You came along when we investigated the bedrooms. You could’ve shoved the screwdriver under Michael’s bed and let us find it!”

Seán choked. “That’s…just a guess! It could’ve just as easily been Aidan who did it!”

The surfer stuck his two fingers up at him. “Fuck you. I wasn’t the one who came chargin’ out of his room when the body was found.”

Seán finally lost his temper. “Well, what the fuck do _you_ know, you cunt?!” he bellowed. “The only things anyone’s been sayin’ about me are guesses! That’s _all_! None of you fuckers have any proof that I did it! You don’t even know if I was in her fuckin’ room!” He laughed. “You haven’t one _bit_ of evidence against me!”

“Actually,” Alex said, during a pause in the GAA player’s ranting, “we might just have the conclusive proof we need.”

“What the fuck are you on about now?!”

“Nathan,” Alex called, “do you remember the final nail in Deirdre Callaghan’s coffin, as it were?”

The Ultimate Lucky Student nodded. “Yeah, I do. We proved that Gráinne left scratch marks on her face. That was the decisive evidence that outed her as the culprit.”

“Well, believe it or not, there may have been a similar incident this time around,” Alex said. “I trust everyone here recalls the needle?”

Fionn snatched up the knitting needle he had left on top of his podium. “You mean _this_ one?”

“That’s the one,” Alex confirmed. “We believed it to be a red herring the killer left to throw us off the scent of the true murder weapon. That theory would only hold water if Michael was guilty.”

“So, why’d the culprit hide it?” Aisling wondered aloud.

Jack caught on to the clues Alex had been giving them. “You think that Ellie fought back against her killer using that needle, right?”

“That is indeed correct. The knitting needle should have been close in proximity to where Ellie was attacked. She could’ve have easily reached out and taken it from where she lay, before using it to fend off the culprit.”

“And afterwards,” Fionn said, “the killer must’ve put the sewing kit down in the bottom drawer. He didn’t know which one to put it in.”

A small hole in Alex’s theory nagged at Nathan. “But there were other wounds on Ellie’s chest,” he pointed out. “The culprit could’ve made them using the needle. That might be how it got bloody.”

Alex smiled. “I examined those wounds myself. They were similar in shape to the fatal injury on the victim’s neck. In other words, they were definitely inflicted with the screwdriver.”

“The needle must have gotten bloody somehow,” Niamh said. “So, you think the culprit might be hiding a wound on his body?”

“I do,” Alex said, before pointing at Seán. “Take your shirt off,” he ordered.

What the hell?!” Seán scowled at the physicist. “I’m not takin’ my clothes off in front of you! You… _bender_!”

Fionn froze, before speaking in a low and dangerous voice. “Don’t you _dare_ call him that.”

“I _saw_ him!” Seán said irately. “He was watchin’ me – watchin’ _us_ – when we were wrestlin’ yesterday! I’m not strippin’ off in front of him, or _you_!”

Fionn snarled, but Louise cut him off. “I’m afraid that, if you don’t comply with our wishes, you’ll only be proving your own guilt. Now,” she said, “will you or won’t you?”

Seán’s shoulders rose as he inhaled deeply. “Fine,” he said, after some time.

He lifted up the bottom of his jersey, pulling it up and over his head, baring his torso. Everyone in the courtroom could see the small, red, shining wound just above his left nipple.

“I’d say that proves it, then,” Fionn said evenly.

“What, _this_?” Seán pointed to the wound as though seeing it for the first time. “I got this _ages_ ago! It was during a hurling match between Kilkenny and Wexford. There was a stone lyin’ on the pitch and I fell onto it.”

Ciara regarded the wound. “It looks fresh,” he noted.

Seán had a smug smile fixed on his face as he pulled his jersey back on. “It looks much better than it did,” he said.

The room was filled with furious whispers and mutterings, only ceasing when Aidan shouted out, “Bullshit!”

The students turned to stare at him, none of them ever having heard him raise his voice like that before.

“I was _there_!” Aidan yelled. “I wrestled with you only yesterday! And, I can tell you, you didn’t have that mark on your chest!”

Seán stiffened.

Ryan nodded. “That’s right! I would’ve seen it, and so would everyone else!”

“N-no…” he whispered.

Michael fumed. “You’ve just told the last of your lies.”

Seán was clutching the front of his podium hard enough to make his knuckles turn white.

“Jack,” Nathan said, “I’ll let you sum up this one.”

“Alright,” the all-rounder said, “here’s how it went: Ellie invited the culprit to her room yesterday evening. The culprit then came up with the plot to murder her. He stole a screwdriver from the toolbox of Michael’s room, likely because it had been left unlocked, as usual. After that, he went to Ellie’s room and had sex with her. Afterwards, as Ellie lay half-asleep in her bed, the culprit attempted to stab her with the screwdriver. She woke up and resisted the attack, managing to wound the culprit using a knitting needle she’d left by her bedside, before he drove the screwdriver through her throat. The culprit hid the needle beneath the bed’s sheets, before returning to his own room, taking the murder weapon with him. The next morning, we all assembled in the refectory. When Ellie didn’t appear for breakfast, we searched for her, eventually coming across her corpse in her bedroom. The culprit was lying in wait, just inside his bedroom. With his door slightly ajar, he could hear the moment when we discovered the body. He appeared on the scene, feigning innocence. Alex conducted his investigation while Fionn and Louise stood guard over the crime scene. I lead some of the students around the building in search of clues, while Nathan, Seán, Aidan and Aisling searched the dormitories. While in Michael’s room, the culprit planted the murder weapon and allowed the others who were with him to find it.

“And the only person who could’ve done all of that would be _you_ , Seán Gleeson!” Jack shouted, pointing his finger at the true culprit, who let out a roar filled with frustration and rage.

“Alex,” Nathan said, “we need to examine that wound. If it matches up with the needle, then…”

“Just shut up,” Seán snapped. “It’s me, alright? I did it. I rode Ellie until she screamed, and then I killed her. Just. Like. That.”

Before anyone could fully react to Seán’s cold and brutal words, Monobear piped up. “Alllllrighty then! It sounds like this trial’s about to come to a close! That means everyone needs to cast their votes. Go ahead, now! Don’t be shy!”

As expected, the result was unanimous once again.

“Great job, folks!” Monobear exclaimed. “You figured out whodunnit! The killer of Ellie O’Donaghue was Seán Gleeson all along!”

Michael was staring in horror at the culprit. “It…was you? Why…? I thought that you were finally starting to open up.”

Seán snarled. “I was cheerin’ up because I thought I was going to _finally_ get out of this dump! The idea of escapin’ cheered me up like nothin’ else.”

He cast his mind back to the night before, recalling the scene…

 

 

_With a deep groan, Seán lay back on the bed, panting heavily. His head swam and his body tingled. The sheets that clung to his naked form were slick with sweat. Beside him, he heard the girl’s exhausted breathing settle down into a more regular pattern, eventually becoming soft snores. He gave it about five minutes – to make sure his legs weren’t going to turn to jelly – before he stood up from the bed._

_He crossed over to where he had left his shorts, carelessly discarding them on the floor. He knelt down, reached into one of the pockets, and pulled out the screwdriver. He closed his eyes, willing his breathing to settle, before standing up and returning to the bed. He crawled over the blankets, creeping over to where the sleeping girl lay. But, just as he was lifting the screwdriver over his head, her eyes flickered open. She made a soft, satisfied noise, her eyes glittering seductively, then widening when they caught sight of the blade hovering over her head._

_She screamed as Seán brought the screwdriver down._

_The Ultimate GAA Star cursed his luck, as the girl’s flailing limbs had interfered with his aim. A strike intended for her throat had instead pierced her collarbone. Her screams took on a new, agonised pitch, as she grasped hold of his wrist and tried to force the weapon away from her. Earlier, while they were wrapped in each other’s embrace, he had admired the girl’s strength. Now, he was forced to use all of his_ own _strength in stabbing her again, this time above her breast. She cried out again, kicking madly, her body bucking wildly. Seán was knocked backwards, off the bed, nearly toppling over onto to the floor. He righted himself as quickly as he could, glaring at the bitch who still lay in the bed, trembling with fear and pain. Blood was oozing out of the wounds he had already inflicted, and she was staring at him with wide, terrified eyes. He couldn’t let her live; she would tell everyone about what he had tried to do to her. He’d lose his only chance of escaping this fucked-up place._

_So he lunged again, leaping forwards onto the bed with the screwdriver outstretched. But, this time, she was prepared. Her hand swung towards him like lightning. He didn’t notice the object clutched between her fingers until it was too late._

_Seán yelled as the sharpened needle pierced his flesh. Driven by pain, he brought the screwdriver down one final time, crying out as he did so. The girl’s pain-stricken moans were cut short, prompting him to look up at his handiwork. The screwdriver had finally hit its mark. The stupid bitch blinked uncomprehendingly at him, before her eyes glazed over and her strangled breathing faded away._

_Seán pulled the weapon out of her throat, wincing as blood splattered outwards, splashing him slightly. He let out a deep, relieved groan as he rolled over onto his back, lying down once more on the bed, panting heavily. His head swam and his body tingled. The sheets that clung to his naked form were slick with sweat, and more._

_It was over. He had killed her._

_He’d need to hide the screwdriver. Hell, maybe he could plant it in someone’s room, make it look like_ they’d _done it instead. And the needle would need to be hidden, too. He’d have a lot to answer for when morning came, but, for now, he just needed a shower._

_And so, with great effort, he heaved himself up out of the bed and strolled over to the bathroom._

 

 

“So that’s why you killed Ellie,” Jack said. “You wanted to escape.”

“Too fuckin’ right, I did! And that bitch invited me into her room, and all! It was the perfect chance to kill someone without anybody findin’ out.” A sick grin spread across Seán’s face. “And, if I got the ride along the way, so much the better. She was the most useful person I could’ve killed.”

“You fucking bastard!” Fionn roared, charging at the GAA head. No one stopped him or made any attempt to intervene as he punched Seán right in his grinning face. Seán leaped at the taller boy in an attempt at retaliation, only to be struck again and knocked to the floor.

“Hey, hey!” Monobear jumped up on his throne, stomping up and down angrily. “Don’t you know it’s _my_ job to punish the culprit?!”

Fionn ignored the bear and prepared to swing his fist again. But a small hand clutched at his arm, stopping him dead. He looked around to see Alex standing behind him, looking as stoic as ever.

“Just leave him,” the physicist said. “He’s not worth getting upset over.”

Fionn looked down at Seán with an expression of unbridled fury. “She…was my friend,” he hissed.

Seán mouthed the words, “I don’t care.”

Monobear clapped his paws together. “Now, then! If there are no further questions…”

He jabbed the button before him, as before, opening up the wall that led to the execution room. This time, however, a series of chains fired out from the tunnel, latching onto Seán and clamping down on his arms, legs and around his neck. He barely had time to scream as he was dragged backwards out of the courtroom and into the tunnel.

The other students chased after him, hearing Monobear shouting from behind them.

“Let’s give it everything we’ve got! Iiiiiiit’s _punishment time!_ ”

Previously, the execution room had been a concert hall, with rows of seats stretching back into the distance behind the students as they entered. Now, although the seating remained, the giant room had been transformed into a stadium, complete with pitch and stands. They looked out across the pitch, seeing the players equipped with hurls and helmets. It was a hurling match with a twist: all of the players were Monobears, who swung their hurls around dangerously, swishing and cutting through the air. There was a tiny person standing in the centre of the pitch. They eventually realised, once they saw his black-and-yellow jersey, that it was Seán. It was then that they appreciated just how _big_ the Monobear hurlers were; they towered over the Ultimate GAA Head as he spun around, examining his surroundings. All of a sudden, a whistle sounded, and the hurlers sprang into action, charging towards the relatively tiny Seán.

At once, Seán appreciated the danger he was in; they were the hurlers and _he_ was the ball. One of the Monobears came close, and Seán set off at a run, ducking the massive hurl when it came sweeping down. There were a lot of them, he reflected. But he was an athlete – the Ultimate GAA Star. He knew the flow of the game well enough to avoid the hurls as they crashed down around him. He was fast, and soon he saw the goalposts ahead of him, in the distance. They seemed to glow in his vision like a sign of freedom. He made for the goal.

It wasn’t until he was running too fast to stop, with the Monobear hurlers chasing behind him, that he wondered where the keeper was. As a result, he didn’t catch sight of the gigantic hurl swinging towards him until it was too late.

The students saw the keeper swing his hurl directly at Seán, who was running in the opposite direction to the swing. He hit the flat of the hurl with a sickening crunch, and he flew backwards a few dozen feet across the pitch. The Ultimate GAA Head landed some distance away, now only a mangled pile of flesh and bone, barely recognisable as a human being.

The reaction to Seán’s execution was more subdued than that of Deirdre’s. Even though nobody felt even a shred of remorse for his demise, they still winced and gasped when they saw him collide with the hurl. Nathan still got that same nauseous feeling in his gut when it happened. It wasn’t right, seeing someone die in such a horrible and humiliating way.

Monobear – one of regular size – appeared in front of them dressed as a referee, complete with whistle.

“Another flawless execution!” he cheered. “Aren’t you all glad that this country has such a fine sporting culture? That punishment was called, ‘All-Despair Hurling Championship!’ A touch verbose, I’ll admit. They can’t _all_ be zingers.”

Monobear surveyed his students, who had all fallen deeply silent. “Wow, tough crowd. I barely heard _any_ screaming. Don’t you know a good punishment when you see one? That was Match of the Century stuff right there!” He harrumphed. “Kids today. Now, off with you!”

The students were about to back away into the tunnel when Alex called, “Wait! I…I need to ask you something.”

Monobear tilted his head. “Huh?”

Alex stood firm, glaring at the bear. “What did you do to us?”

Alex’s question caused heads to turn, staring curiously at the physicist.

“You’re gonna have to specify,” Monobear said in his most irritating tone.

Fionn stepped forward, standing beside his friend. “You did something to our bodies, didn’t you? What, and why?”

Nathan’s stomach lurched. He caught Jack’s eye and nodded. So, they hadn’t been the only ones who had noticed.

Monobear pouted. “Who, me? Now, why would I do something like that?”

“Answer us!” Alex said, his voice rising dangerously.

“Hmmm…” Monobear tapped a paw against his chin. “I’m gonna say ‘no’ to that. Hope you understand.”

“But…!”

He waved his paws, dismissing the gathered students. “Alright, alright, off you go! Until next time!”

With a cheerful wave and a flickering of his red eye, Monobear was lost behind the shutting wall, leaving the students alone in the tunnel once again.

Eventually, they turned around and walked back to the courtroom.

 

** 12 STUDENTS REMAINING: **

Ultimate Model – Niamh Clarke

Ultimate Physicist – Alex Coleman

Ultimate Surfer – Aidan Collins

Ultimate Rugby Star – Fionn Healey

Ultimate Dancer – Ryan Jackson

Ultimate All-Rounder – Jack Jones

Ultimate Guitarist – Ciara Maguire

Ultimate Gaeilgeoir – Orlagh McNamara

Ultimate Lucky Student – Nathan Murphy

Ultimate Vet – Michael Reynolds

Ultimate Journalist – Louise Smythe

Ultimate Boxer – Aisling Taggart


	17. Chapter 3: The Light of the Mind - Part 1

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

Once again, the trip back up to the entrance hall was a quiet one, with the echoing noise of the students’ footsteps being the only sound. Seeing Seán’s ‘punishment’ had sobered them in a strange way. They hadn’t liked Seán - _none_ of them had. But it was still a brutal and tragic way for anyone to be killed, even somebody as unpleasant and remorseless as the Ultimate GAA Head.

Just as it had done before, the wall sealed shut behind them, blocking off the passage to the courtroom. The remaining students were left alone in the foyer, unsure of what to do next. It was still morning, after all, so going back to bed seemed out of the question for everyone except Aidan.

It was Nathan who voiced everyone’s primary concern. “What should we do now?”

Alex answered. “It’s highly probable that Monobear has opened up areas of the building that were previously inaccessible, just as before. We should go and explore those areas, post-haste.”

Aisling stopped him as he made to walk away. “Hold on a second! What was that you and Fionn were saying about our bodies having changed?”

Alex froze. “…It’s nothing important as of yet.”

Aisling glared. “That’s bullshit. You wouldn’t have asked Monobear about it if it wasn’t important.”

“I have no concrete evidence,” Alex said. “There’s nothing to back up my hypotheses.”

“Al,” Fionn said gently. “There’s no point in hiding this from them anymore. They deserve to hear it, too.”

“…Very well,” Alex relented. “We’ll discuss our theories later this evening, after dinner.” He glanced at each of his peers in turn. “Is that alright with everyone?”

There was a series of nods.

“Good,” Alex said, before turning on his heel and marching off towards the stairs. Fionn chased after him, looking concerned.

Aisling watched the pair of them leave, before deciding to pay a visit to the refectory. She wasn’t even all that hungry, but her feet seemed to move of their own accord, seeking out some place to be alone.

She entered the hall and crossed over to the dining table, pulling up a chair and sitting down. She stared at the surface in front of her, numbly. The events of the morning were finally starting to sink in, and the madness of the trial they had just taken part in hadn’t helped. The way they had all acted in that twisted courtroom, turning on each other like trapped rats, disturbed the Ultimate Boxer terribly. For a while, she’d been convinced that Michael, the boy who’d been so kind to her and everyone else, was a killer. She thought she had trusted everyone. But now she realised how easy it was for that trust to be forgotten about. Who would they turn on next? Would it be her? If she wasn’t already dead by that point…

The sound of a chair being dragged across the floor snapped Aisling out of her dark thoughts. She glanced up just in time to see Niamh sitting down opposite her. She was smiling gently.

“Is everything alright?” the model asked.

Aisling sighed. “Y-yeah. I’m fine.”

Niamh tilted her head, quietly assessing the other girl. “Are you sure? I’m not used to seeing you look so upset.”

Michael had said something like that, too. That had been just after the first school trial.

Aisling’s crestfallen expression told Niamh everything she needed to know. “You feel bad about how everyone acted in the trial earlier. Particularly how you yourself acted, right?”

Aisling blinked. How had she known? “Yeah…that’s right.”

“And you feel guilty for having doubted the people you trust.”

“Is it really that easy to tell what I’m thinking?” Aisling asked quietly.

“No, no,” Niamh said quickly, waving her hands. “I know what you’re going through because, well…that’s how I feel, as well.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. And I’d say the others are going through something similar. We’re not all unfeeling bastards like Seán.”

Aisling had never heard the usually-meek Niamh use such strong language before.

“So…you’re not alone in the way you feel, alright?” Niamh said, a touch hesitantly.

“I…thanks.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Thanks for talking to me. I…needed a chat.”

Niamh smiled again. “No problem.” She paused. “Would you like to come explore the school with me? I’d like to see the new areas that have opened up.”

Aisling nodded. “Yeah.” She shoved her chair back, leaping to her feet. “Let’s go!”

Niamh was taken aback by how quickly the boxer’s enthusiasm had been revived. “Y-yeah. Okay.”

“Come on!” Aisling cried, practically dragging the Ultimate Model behind her as she dashed out of the refectory.

 

*** 

 

Ryan Jackson was a curious person, in every way he could be. People had told him all his life that ‘curiosity killed the cat’, regardless of the phrase's status as a cliché. But, for him, curiosity had only led him down exciting and enjoyable paths of life. He’d seen interesting people and done interesting things. And vice versa. And so he was one of the first people to climb the stairs all the way up to the second floor and see what there was to see.

But it seemed that his curiosity had let him down, against all the odds. In contrast to the first floor, which had consisted mostly of leisure facilities, the second floor held a laboratory, an art hall and a storage room, along with a long corridor of classrooms that were nearly identical to the ones on the ground and first floors. Ryan had never had much of an interest in computers or science, but he _did_ enjoy art in his spare time. However, he was disappointed to find the art room to be quiet as a morgue, and just as boring. Ryan enjoyed sketching and doodling when he could, but he saw no point in hanging around in a cold, lifeless hall while amateur paintings stared down at him from the walls. On his way out of the art hall, he even tripped over a wooden box that had been left lying on the floor. He snarled, kicking out at the cursed box, before yelping and clutching his toes. He vowed never to return to the art room.

As his tour of the second floor took him past the lab, he decided to step inside, his curiosity getting the best of him once again. He was delighted to find that the room was unoccupied. Alex, the Ultimate Physicist, was examining the various experimental apparatus on display.

Ryan called out to him as he walked in. “I thought I’d find you in here.”

Alex glanced at the other boy out of the corner of his eye. “Oh,” was all he said.

Ryan approached him. “Is that all you have to say? Not even a ‘hi’ or ‘hello’?”

“I see no need in exchanging those sorts of greetings at this point,” Alex said in his usual, flat voice.

Ryan stopped within an arm’s length of the physicist. “You don’t think that’s a bit cold?”

Alex took his eyes off of the bell jar he had been studying to glance at Ryan. “Cold?” he echoed. “Is that how it seems…?” His characteristic frown deepened. “I see. So my mannerisms appear to you as apathy.” He turned back to the jar. “I apologise. I’m sorry for treating you so badly.”

“Wha-? No, no, don’t be sorry!” Ryan exclaimed. “I get it, I honestly do. I’ve seen how you act around Fionn, so I know you’re a nice person. I shouldn’t have said you were cold.”

Alex stared at the dancer. “But…”

Ryan sighed. “You made me admit that I was wrong. That doesn’t happen very often, so you’d better just accept it. I understand what you mean, anyway.”

“…How could someone like _you_ understand what it’s like?” Alex almost whispered.

But Ryan had heard him. “Well, believe it or not, I used to be a lot like you. Mumbling when spoken to, not making eye-contact…I used to have trouble talking to people, even the ones I knew fairly well.”

Alex looked at him quizzically. “What happened that made you change?”

“I took up dancing. Properly,” he added. “Not just jumping up and down in my bedroom. I had lessons from an instructor, got into school shows and local festivals, learned more about all the various different styles. It was the only way I could get out there and be myself, without worrying what people thought about me. The less I worried about what others thought while I was dancing, the less I worried about them when I _wasn’t_ dancing. My confidence grew, and…” He gestured to himself. “Here I am. The Ultimate Dancer.”

“I…always felt a bit more confident when I was performing, too,” Alex admitted.

Ryan grinned and stretched an arm around the physicist’s shoulder. “See? You just need to have faith in yourself. Or, better yet, you can just believe in the me who believes in you!”

Alex’s puzzled expression made Ryan laugh. “Alright, so if there’s anything else you want to talk about, you just come chat to me.” He winked.

The Alex from only a week ago wouldn’t even have thought about trusting someone like Ryan, certainly not in a situation this desperate. But the kind words of people like Jack had made Alex realise that he couldn’t give in to despair and doubt. Once the distrust sets in, it spreads quickly. That was exactly what had happened with Seán, and it had also led to Gráinne’s death. The new Alex had finally made some friends, some people he could trust. He was glad to have another.

Alex smiled and said, “Thank you, Ryan.”

“You have a cute smile,” Ryan told him. “Very charming.”

The smile dropped as Alex’s face heated up. “Don’t make fun of me.”

Ryan chuckled. “I’m not, I swear. So…is there anything you wanted to ask me about? Since we’re now pals.”

Alex hesitated. Ryan was confident and self-assured. He might be able to give Alex some advice.

“W-well...” Alex took a breath. “You’ve been around, right? You…know all about…” Alex berated himself, “I can’t believe I’m saying this.”

“Go on,” Ryan encouraged him.

Alex gritted his teeth. “You know all about…attracting people.” He spat the words out as though they were poisonous.

Ryan’s eyebrows rose. “Yeah…?”

“Can…can you…teach me how?” Alex mumbled.

Ryan’s face split into a broad smile. “Oh, I see,” he said. “You’re trying to woo someone, then? Well, usually the best thing to start with is buying them a drink. If it’s a shot, then all the better.”

Alex grumbled. He doubted that particular piece of advice would be appropriate in this situation.

“Now,” Ryan went on, “the first thing you need to know about women is that they-”

“Ah…” Alex’s face grew even more sheepish. “It’s…I’m not trying to impress a _girl_ …”

Ryan blinked. “O-oh? Well, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed.” He fell silent, his winning smile falling away and being replaced by a thoughtful expression.

Alex took that as a bad sign. “I thought _you_ , of all people, would know about that sort of thing. I suppose I was incorrect.”

“What? Oh, no, that’s not it.” Ryan shook his head gently. “It’s just…nobody’s ever asked me for advice about fellas before. It’s only ever been girls. I’m just savouring the moment.” He sighed happily. “Right. So, there’s a lad in this place that you want to get off with? Can I ask who?”

“It doesn’t matter who it is,” Alex said, only to be interrupted by Ryan.

“It _definitely_ matters who it is! There’s a big difference between flirting with someone like Aidan and someone like Nathan.”

“Why?”

“Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it? Aidan’s outgoing and relaxed, while Nathan’s a lot more shy. It’d be the same for the girls. Compare Louise and Niamh, for example.”

“I see,” Alex said, musing to himself. “Different methods must be applied in separate cases.”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “I knew you’d go all science-y on me. Well, it doesn’t matter, anyway. I know who you’re interested in. Fionn, right?”

Alex’s face burned bright red, and he dropped his gaze.

“I was right,” Ryan said, a pleased expression crossing his face. “You have good taste. You like them _big_ , if you know what I mean?”

But Alex had suddenly become very quiet. Ryan felt a bit regretful of his teasing.

“Alright,” he said, “I’m sorry for making fun of you. Come on. Let’s go somewhere else. I want to chat.”

Alex nodded, looking up to meet the dancer’s gaze once more. “Not a word of this to anybody else, understand?”

Something in the small boy’s eyes and voice made Ryan take a step back. “Y-yeah. No problem. I’ll keep quiet.”

“Then let’s go.”

The two of them left the laboratory in awkward silence.

 

***

 

Later that afternoon, Jack found Michael sitting alone in the upstairs lounge. The Ultimate Vet’s usually-cheerful face was marred by a morose expression. Jack didn’t blame him: he had come close to being voted as the culprit during the morning’s trial. An experience like that would shock anybody. He decided he’d cheer the vet up as best as he could.

He walked over to where Michael sat. “Mick,” he called, “are y’alright?”

Michael looked up, and nodded. “Yeah. Fine. Cheers.”

Jack suppressed the urge to wince. Single word sentences were definitely not a good sign. “I wanted to see how you were doing after the trial. You know…everyone was ganging up on you in there for a while. You didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry.”

But Michael shook his head. “Don’t be sayin’ that. It wasn’t your fault that everyone suspected me of bein’ the killer. It was…Seán’s.”

Jack took his cue to sit down opposite to the vet, on a nearby armchair. “Are you upset about what happened to him?”

“No,” Michael said, venom seeping into his voice all of a sudden. “He deserved what he got. But…I never realised how _awful_ he was. I tried chattin’ to him a few times, you know. I thought I was getting’ him to open up to us. But…he wasn’t. He was just waitin’ for the chance to stab us in the back.” He slumped.

“You shouldn’t let things like this get you down,” Jack told him. “Especially not when things are like they are now. We all need to keep hope alive.”

Michael sighed with the weariness of someone having heard it all before. “Yeah, I know. I _always_ let things get me down. ‘Emotionally fragile’. That’s what they called me.”

Jack frowned. “Who?”

“My teachers. My psychiatrist. My mother.” He listed them off on his fingers.

Jack winced for real this time. “Oh. Well, if it makes you feel any better, _I_ don’t think you’re emotionally fragile. You’re just going through a tough spot. We _all_ are.”

The corners of Michael’s mouth curved upwards, ever so slightly. “I…thanks. A lot. You’re the only person who’s come talk to me since this morning.”

Jack grimaced. “I think they might be a bit embarrassed to show their faces around you at the moment. They’ll recover, I’m sure.”

Michael chuckled. “I can’t wait,” he said, without a trace of irony.

The two spent the rest of the afternoon chatting. Before long, it was time for dinner, and so they left the lounge for the refectory.

 

***

 

Once the meal was over, Alex stood up from his seat. The room instantly fell silent as everyone stopped chattering in order to listen.

“I suppose you all wish to know the meaning behind my statements this morning?” he asked, receiving a series of nods in reply.

“Very well. But there really is very little information available to us at the present.” He inhaled softly, preparing himself for the speech ahead.

“After we awoke in this strange place, Fionn and I both noticed certain peculiarities concerning our bodies. We both felt an uncomfortable stiffness in our arms, legs and other areas. Even walking proved challenging, at first. The feeling lingered for several days after our awakening. Those are facts.”

“That’s all?” Aisling asked.

Alex nodded. “That’s why I thought it would be irrelevant to discuss the matter as it is now. We have nothing to go on, as it were.”

Fionn stood up beside Alex, almost looming over the physicist as he did. “We _do_ have a few ideas about why this thing happened, though.”

Alex frowned. “These are merely conjectures, I would like you all to know.”

Ryan waved a hand. “Who cares if they’re ‘conjectures’ or not? We want to hear what you have to say.”

“Damn right,” Aidan muttered in agreement.

Fionn said, “Well, at first, we thought it was some sort of drug wearing off in our systems. We were knocked out as soon as we arrived at St. Elpis’, so we must’ve been drugged back then.”

“I wouldn’t refer to myself as a chemist,” Alex said, “but I know that the symptoms we experienced are not indicative of being drugged in such a fashion. The effects of the drug certainly shouldn’t last as long as they did.” He raised a hand to his mouth as he thought. “Unless the mastermind is using some sort of substance I’m unfamiliar with.”

“Are there any other possibilities?” Niamh asked.

“There’s…another idea we had,” FIonn said, the hesitation evident in his voice. “We…might’ve been put under for a lot longer than we’d thought.”

Louise frowned at the rugby star’s words. “What do you mean?”

Alex eyed his friend. “We already dismissed that theory. The evidence against it is clear.”

“What ‘evidence’?” Fionn stared right back, his expression set firm. “All we have to go on is your watch.”

“What are you talking about?” Aisling asked, her voice rising in fear.

Alex sighed. “Fionn believes that, after arriving at the school, we were rendered unconscious for a long period of time. A matter of months, at an absolute maximum.”

Shocked cries and gasps filled the refectory.

“Is that true?!” Louise excliamed.

“It can’t be,” Alex said. “My watch observes that the current time is 1900 hours on the tenth of September. That matches up with the amount of time that has passed since our arrival at St. Elpis’ College. We have _not_ been comatose for several months. Of that, I can assure you.”

Jack took that as his cue to stand up. “Sorry, but you’re overlooking something very important.”

Alex raised an eyebrow at the Ultimate All-Rounder’s sudden declaration. “You have something to add?”

“That’s right.” He gestured to the boy sitting next to him. “Me and Nathan went through the same ordeal as you two did. And we’ve come up with some ideas of our own.”

“…Then, let’s hear it.”

“Like I said, there’s something that you’re overlooking.” Jack stared impassively at the Ultimate Physicist. “Does that amazing watch of yours display the year?”

Alex stiffened. “…No. It doesn’t.”

It took another moment for the other students to realise what Jack was suggesting.

“No fuckin’ way were we asleep for a year!” Aidan snapped.

“How could that even happen?!” Ryan asked, his eye twitching ever so slightly. “It’s impossible!”

Nathan now stood alongside Jack. “We’re currently trapped in a hellish environment where we’re forced to kill one another. And the one overseeing this whole thing is a walking, talking, demonic teddy-bear.” He folded his arms. “I think we should consider everything before regarding it as being impossible. No matter how ridiculous it might sound.”

“’Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth,’” Niamh recited. “Arthur Conan Doyle.”

“Wait a minute!” Ciara called out. “Alex said that his watch gets updated by a fancy clock he keeps in his home. What if somebody just tampered with it?”

Alex bristled. “I’ll…admit, that is a possibility.” The words left a sickening taste in his mouth; the thought of somebody interfering with his valuable possessions made his gorge rise.

“Then we’re in agreement that Alex’s watch is not absolute,” Jack said. “We have no way of knowing for certain just what today’s date is.” He grimaced. “To be honest, the thought of us having been unconscious for a year is just as terrifying to me as it is to all of you. But…we can’t let it destroy our hope.”

Evidently, not everybody agreed with him. Many of the faces around the table had expressions of misery etched onto them.

“Can it…really be true?” Aisling wondered. “Just how long were we under?”

Fionn sighed. “I don’t know. But…how should I put this?” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I’ve grown. Somehow, between me going to St. Elpis’ and me waking up here, I grew a fair bit. I’m taller, and broader. I packed on a few pounds, at least.”

Aidan nodded, not looking up from the table in front of him. “Same here.”

“And me, too,” Nathan said. “Believe it or not, I used to be only five and a half feet tall. That was only a month ago. Unless I managed to grow about five inches in the space of a few weeks, we’ve been tricked by Monobear.”

“Upupupu! Now _why_ would I do something like that?”

The students jumped and cursed under their breaths as Monobear appeared on top of the table.

“I don’t remember ever telling any of you that the day you arrived at St. Elpis’ College was the day you woke up in _here_!” He crowed. “I never tricked you idiots at all!”

“But you _were_ the one who drugged us, weren’t you?” Jack glared at the so-called principal. “You captured us and brought us into this whole mess!”

Monobear directed a paw towards himself. “ _Moi?_ Whoever heard of a bear drugging anybody?”

But Jack shook his head. “Not you. I’m talking to the mastermind.”

“What? You think there’s somebody inside me, controlling me like a ventriloquist dummy?” Monobear shivered and quaked. “Eeeew! Just the thought makes me wanna puke up my lunch!”

“Tell us what you did to us!” Fionn yelled.

“Jeez!” Monobear squeaked. “You folks really wanna know so badly? Hmmm…” His red eye glittered as a malicious plan occurred to him. “Well, in that case, how about I make that the next incentive? If one of you bastards kills somebody, I’ll let you all know just what happened after you came to St. Elpis’.”

Jack’s heart pounded. Another incentive, so soon? “But a murder only took place yesterday morning! You’re already trying to force another one?”

“What can I say? I’m a hasty one. You ever heard the phrase, ‘As patient as a bear’? Of _course_ not!” Monobear shouted, before disappearing.

Nathan’s head drooped, and he slumped back down into his seat. “Just our luck,” he mumbled.

“Come on,” Jack said encouragingly. “We need to stay positive. If we all start thinking like that, despair will set in quickly.”

“You know what?” Fionn said, all of a sudden. “Who cares about Monobear? We can solve this mystery ourselves, if we have to. There’s no need for anyone to kill somebody if we find out what happened.”

Alex stared up at his friend. “You…you’re right. This situation is still within our grasp. It wouldn’t do to lose control over something so trivial.”

Ciara smiled. “It’s probably a good thing that Monobear gave us an easy incentive this time.” She glanced over at the forlorn Nathan. “Maybe the Ultimate Lucky Student’s given us a boost?”

Nathan instinctively looked up upon hearing the guitarist’s words, before turning his head away again as his face heated up.

And so, despite the appearance of Monobear at the meeting, the students managed to hold onto a shred of hope. They hoped that nobody would resort to murder over such a trifling matter. Only time would tell whether their hope was well-founded or not.


	18. Chapter 3: The Light of the Mind - Part 2

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

The next morning proved surprisingly uneventful. Nathan was once again taken aback by how quickly everyone seemed to get over the tragedies of losing their peers, or how they willingly forgot about their dire circumstances. He didn’t understand it. Was this the ‘hope’ that Jack was always going on about? Or something else? He may have been a cynic, but he didn’t think so little of his companions that they’d be so ignorant as to just forget the ones they’d lost.

He’d already seen all there was to see in the newly-opened second floor the previous afternoon, which was admittedly very little. Nevertheless, he found himself wandering the school’s corridors in search of excitement. Not that he was expecting to ever find it.

While aimlessly passing the gym, Nathan discovered Fionn standing by the window that overlooked the swimming pool on the floor below. The Ultimate Rugby Star was gazing down at the pool with an expression that Nathan found hard to read. It certainly wasn’t a positive one, he knew.

Nathan called out to him as he approached. “Hey, Fionn.”

Fionn whirled, seeing the Ultimate Lucky Student standing nearby. “O-oh, hi! Hey, Nathan!”

Nathan hadn’t been expected such a strong reaction.

“Is everything alright?” Nathan asked.

Fionn nodded hurriedly. “Yeah! I’m grand!”

Nathan’s eyes darted between the window and Fionn, pondering the connection. Come to think of it, in all the times the pool had been used since they’d found it, Nathan had never seen Fionn there. Nathan wasn’t a huge fan of swimming himself, but he still paid the pool a visit on occasion to relieve stress and such.

“You want to go for a swim, maybe?” Nathan asked hesitantly.

Fionn stiffened. “No. I…I don’t.” He turned his back on Nathan, resuming his glaring match with the pool.

Nathan raised an eyebrow at the rugby player’s bizarre actions. “Is there something you don’t like about swimming pools?”

“Well…” Fionn looked over his shoulder, back at the boy’s curious expression. He sighed. “I…can’t swim.”

Nathan blinked. “Oh. Really?”

He nodded. “I never learned how. It’s…embarrassin’.”

“If it was _really_ embarrassing,” Nathan muttered, “you wouldn’t be telling me.”

Fionn chuckled humourlessly. “Probably not.” He stared impassively through the window as he said, “I think I just want to let it all out. Since I’ve already revealed _one_ embarrassin’ secret today…”

“You mean the fact that you’re gay?” Nathan frowned. “There’s nothing ‘embarrassing’ about that.”

A wry smile twisted Fionn’s mouth. “That’s not what I was told. You know what it’s like, growin’ up in a country like this, bein’ gay?”

Nathan shook his head. “No. But, one of my old friends back in Wexford was gay. He never seemed to let people bother him.”

“…Did he ever tell you about his home life?”

Nathan froze. “N-no…he didn’t really talk about it.”

Fionn grunted. “I’m sure.”

Nathan decided to put a stop to this. “Listen. The people who jeer you for liking men are just looking for an excuse. If you weren’t gay, they’d find something else to get on to you about. They do that because they’re stupid cunts who don’t know any better.” His voice rose in anger. “The world’s full of those kinds of people, and there’s nothing we can do about it except tell them to go and fuck themselves.”

Throughout the whole speech, Fionn remained silent, with his back to Nathan. Just as Nathan was beginning to regret having spoken at all, the rugby star turned around. He was smiling.

“That has to be the most depressing advice I’ve ever been given,” he said.

Nathan’s heart sank. “D’you think so?” he mumbled.

“But that doesn’t mean it was _bad_ ,” Fionn said, his smile widening slightly. “I needed to hear it. It was…like a kick up the arse.”

Nathan stared. “What?”

“It made me stand up and realise what a sad bastard I was bein’. So…thanks a lot, Nathan.”

“O-oh? You’re welcome.”

Fionn stepped forward, spreading his arms wide. “Alright, now. It’s time for a hug.”

“Eh, what?”

“A hug. C’mere.”

“I-is this really the time?”

“Hug.”

“But…”

“Hug. _Now._ ”

Nathan found it difficult to argue when the other boy was towering over him. He reluctantly let the rugby player wrap his big arms around his shoulders and squeeze. The hug went on for several awkward moments before Nathan was released.

“Feeling better, then?” Nathan quipped.

“Tonnes,” Fionn said. “So, since we’re now friends, I was wonderin’ if you’d teach me how to swim?”

Nathan faltered. “Ah…well…I’m not much of a swimmer, myself. You’d be better off looking for Aidan or Ryan. They’re both strong swimmers. Whenever I get in a pool…” He trailed off, uncomfortable memories flashing before his eyes.

But, fortunately, Fionn had heard enough. “Alright, then. I’ll go lookin’ for one of those two.” He finally detached himself from the window, moving past Nathan and down the corridor. He glanced back over his shoulder to shout a quick “Thanks!” before dashing away.

Nathan stood, staring at the spot where the Ultimate Rugby Star had departed. He was surprised by how effective his little speech had been. Fionn didn’t seem like a gullible person. Maybe Jack _had_ been rubbing off on him?

 

*** 

 

“Alright,” Ciara said. “Now, _strum_.”

Aidan drew the plectrum across each of the strings, hoping fervently that they would resound correctly. Some of them did. Others did not. He groaned.

“Keep trying,” Ciara said patiently. “You’ll get it eventually.”

He strummed again. If anything, it sounded _worse_ than it had before.

Ciara reached out and adjusted the position of the surfer’s left hand. “Try keeping your palm and your fingers away from the strings you’re not holding down.”

Aidan grumbled, his voice echoing softly off the wall of the lounge. “It’s not _my_ fault I have stubby fingers.”

“No need to get cross,” she warned him. “You’re the one who wanted to learn to play the guitar. You have to have patience.”

“I’ve never had _any_ patience,” Aidan said.

“Well, now’s a good time to get some,” Ciara responded. “Try again.”

Aidan sighed, manipulating his fingers slightly as Ciara had directed. This time, when he strummed, the strings vibrated with a pleasing harmony.

He grinned. “I think I did it.”

“Yeah, you did.” She beamed, pleased that he had finally succeeded. “That’s a ‘C’ chord. Very good.”

“So, can I play a song now?”

Ciara hesitated. “Well, you only know one chord. Not much point in playing a song with a single chord. Unless it’s _My Lovely Horse_.”

“Alright, then teach me another one.” Now that he felt he had gotten the hang of it, Aidan was eager to learn more about the instrument.

“Okay. Here’s how to play an ‘E minor’.” She directed his fingers into a slightly different position on the guitar’s fretboard.

A question popped into Aidan’s mind as he followed the guitarist’s instructions. “How’d you first start playin’ the guitar? Where’d you learn it?”

“Huh? Oh, my dad taught me. He’s been playing guitar since the Beatles were around. He was delighted when I was born, ‘cos then he’d be able to teach me everything he knew.”

“What about your mam?” Aidan asked her. “Does she play?”

“She can’t,” Ciara replied in a soft voice. “She’s dead.”

Aidan mentally berated himself for bringing up the topic. “Sorry.”

But Ciara shook her head. “It’s fine. I hardly knew her. I was about…five years old when she got hit by a car.”

Sometimes, Aidan felt like he was the only Ultimate Student without a tragic past. He lived with his brother, who was great _craic_ when he was at home. Nothing overly depressing had ever happened to him, until he came here.

Hardly even thinking about it, Aidan strummed the guitar. What came out was a perfect E minor.

Ciara was snapped out of her reminiscing by the sound. “Good job!” she cried. “You did it again.”

Aidan’s eyes were wide. “Thank fuck,” he said with some degree of relief.

“Since you’ve got your fingers there, I might as well show you how to play an ‘E’.”

They were interrupted by the arrival of the Ultimate Rugby Star. Fionn strolled into the lounge, spotting Aidan sitting on the couch next to Ciara. Aidan was holding her guitar in his hands, and she was clearly demonstrating to him how to play. Fionn hoped they weren’t too busy.

“Eh, Aidan?” he called. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”

Aidan shrugged, sharing a glance with the girl. “Yeah, alright.”

He put the guitar down, got up off the couch and sauntered over to join Fionn, who led the way out into the corridor.

“So, what’s goin’ on?”

Fionn decided to bite the bullet and just say what he needed to. “I need your help. Can you teach me how to swim?”

“…D’you not know how?”

“No, I don’t.”

The idea of someone not knowing how to swim at all was surprising to Aidan. Being in the water was second-nature to him, after all.

“Yeah, alright. I’ll teach you. Myself and Ryan are goin’ to the pool later this evenin’, if you want to come along.”

Fionn nodded, pleased that the surfer had agreed so readily. “Brilliant. What time?”

“We’ll call your room around ten, okay?” Aidan paused. “And...there’s one more thing you should know…”

 

***

 

Louise felt that she was stagnating. She’d been trapped inside this twisted school for nearly a fortnight, without any link to the outside world. She had no access to news or updates on any sort of political situation. There was nothing to report on, nothing to learn, nothing new to see or do. However, she didn’t voice these sentiments aloud, for fear of her companions thinking her to be insensitive. As much as she enjoyed the presence of her fellow students, she was quickly growing tired of encountering the same set of faces every day.

However, she was quietly surprised to find Orlagh lurking in a place other than her own room. The Ultimate Gaeilgeoir’s reclusive habits seemed to have waned ever so slightly after the second trial. But she still wasn’t talking. Her mouth remained firmly shut, even as Louise drew near, donning her best smile.

“Hello, Orlagh,” she said. “How are you this afternoon?”

“…”

“You seem a bit pale, you know. Do you want to have a lie-down?”

“…”

Louise tried another approach. “How about something to eat? I was just beginning to feel a bit peckish myself. Perhaps you’d like to join me for tea?”

“…”

Louise could only keep her brilliant smile live for so long without support. Eventually, her cheeks began to tire, and her teeth disappeared behind her lips.

“Is everything alright?” Louise asked, deciding to assume a concerned expression instead. “You’ve been acting a bit peculiar ever since…the first trial.” Louise remembered the Gaeilgeoir’s erratic behaviour after the events of the school trial. She had believed herself to be in the real St. Elpis’ College, and had forgotten all about the dire situation they were all in. Orlagh had only entered her quiet spell after she had been forced to recall the danger surrounding her. The experience had clearly been most harmful to the poor girl’s psyche.

_“…venge…ad roman…”_

Louise gasped. Had she just spoken?

_“I…love…venge…ad roman…”_

Louise cocked her head to the side in an attempt to hear the words spilling from between Orlagh’s lips. They had a soft, musical quality to them, in contrast to the girl’s characteristically nasal voice.

_“I want…love…your revenge…me…bad romance…”_

Louise frowned as she realised that the reason why the words sounded musical to her was because they _were_. Orlagh was singing under her breath, the familiar song growing louder and louder with each repetition.

_“I want your love and I want your revenge. You and me could write a bad romance…”_

Louise cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, but I must insist that you answer my questions. I believe that it’s for your own benefit.”

But Orlagh’s eyes were distant as she sang on. _“I want your love and I want your revenge. You and me could write a bad romance…”_

Louise had had enough. “Come along,” she said. “I want the others to see you.” She stuck out her hand to the girl. The rest of them needed to know just how psychologically broken the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir was. They could come to a decision together on what to do about it.

But, all of a sudden, Louise’s hand was slapped away. Orlagh straightened up, her eyes flashing with anger.

“Don’t you _know_ who I am?!” she shrieked, in a tone that would have made anyone flinch. “Who do you think you’re talking to?”

Louise felt a surge of confusion, followed by relief. It seemed Orlagh was back to normal. But her next few words threw the journalist into confusion once again.

“I’m the Ultimate Prefect, Gráinne Mahon!”

“I-I’m sorry?”

“You heard me!” the other girl snapped. “You ought to show more respect to someone who’s been made Head Girl so many times!” Orlagh wagged a finger disapprovingly.

For one of the first times in her life, Louise was at a loss for words.

“Lost your tongue, have you? I should have expected that. After all, who wouldn’t fall speechless in the presence of royalty?”

“R-royalty?”

“That’s right! You stand in the presence of Princess Sonia Nevermind, heir to the throne of the proud Kingdom of Novoselic!”

Louise was even more perplexed than she had been before. Only moments before, Orlagh had claimed to be someone who she knew was dead. And now she was referring to herself as a princess of some tiny country in the vicinity of Austria, one not even Louise had heard very much about. The Gaeilgeoir’s mental instability was worse than anyone could have predicted.

“Listen, Orlagh,” Louise said, her desperation evident in her voice. “Please, come with me. We can get you help, I promise. So, just-”

“No!” she hollered. “Never! You’ll never take me alive!”

Orlagh turned on her heel and fled from the Ultimate Journalist, cackling madly. As the Gaeilgeoir vanished down the corridor, Louise heard snatches of another Lady Gaga song trailing behind the running girl.

A stunned Louise lingered in the corridor for a few minutes more, before slowly departing the scene, electing to tell someone about Orlagh’s breakdown as soon as possible. Having someone running around the area in such a state as hers could be dangerous for everyone.

 

*** 

 

Fionn carefully dipped a toe into the water, expecting it to be freezing cold. Instead, he was surprised to find the temperature pleasantly warm. He pushed the rest of his toes down into the water, then his whole foot, moving one inch at a time.

“Come on, Fionn,” Aidan called out from nearby as he calmly treaded water. “Just hop in. Like rippin’ off a plaster.”

The rugby star was still hesitant. He hadn’t even _tried_ going into a swimming pool in a number of years. The whole experience was unfamiliar and, frankly, terrifying.

“I…I dunno…” He was beginning to have second thoughts about this whole affair.

“This part of the pool is only four foot deep,” Ryan said. The dancer was resting his arms on the edge of the pool, staring up at Fionn with some amusement. “It’s barely even going to come up to your chest. You’re not going to drown, bud.”

Fionn scowled. “I know that!” But still, he dithered.

“I saw you play that match against Ulster,” Aidan said. “When that _huge_ bastard came up against you, you just fuckin’ tore through him like he was nothin’. If you can do that, there’s no reason why you should be afraid of a little bit of water.”

Fionn decided that enough was enough. He was starting to grow chilly: the air in the room felt cold against his bare skin. He had to make a choice right now.

So, he pushed off of the edge with his other foot and jumped into the pool. Immediately, he felt the water’s warm embrace swallow his legs and splash up past his waist. At that moment, his feet collided with the pool’s floor, stopping the water’s advance. Just as Ryan had said, the film of the water’s surface reached past his belly, but rose no higher. Gradually, Fionn began to relax.

Aidan paddled over. “See? Wasn’t that easy?”

Fionn grumbled. “I’m still not sure about this.”

“What? You wanted to learn how to swim, didn’t you?” Ryan asked.

Fionn kept his eyes averted from both of them. “But…couldn't we at least have worn our shorts?”

“It’s a bonding experience,” Ryan said immediately.

“What’s the point of going swimming at night with your friends if you’re not goin’ to skinny-dip?” Aidan commented.

But Fionn’s eyes were still locked on the ceiling far above, his face tinged with scarlet. “And...you’re not worried that I’m going to… _do_ anything? Take advantage of the situation?”

Ryan raised an eyebrow, while Aidan laughed. “Ryan’s the biggest sex-fiend in this place. I’ve been swimmin’ with him for ages now and he’s never done anything weird. I think we’re fairly safe.”

Fionn smiled, finally lowering his head, although careful not to stare at either of his friends for too long. “Alright. So, which one of you wants to teach me how to swim?”

“That’ll be me,” Aidan said.

Ryan swam backwards, retreating to a safe distance. “I’ll just be _watching,_ if you don’t mind.” He answered Fionn’s annoyed look with a proud grin.

“Which stroke do you want to start with?” Aidan asked Fionn. “Front crawl? Or breaststroke?”

“…I’m sorry?”

Aidan groaned. “Okay, then. The basics. There are four main types of swimmin’ strokes: front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.”

Ryan saw Fionn’s puzzled expression and said, “Give him a demonstration, would you?”

Aidan nodded, kicking out and pushing himself away from Fionn. He ducked his head under the water, brought one of his arms up and out of the pool, before bringing it smoothly down, breaking through the surface of the water. Immediately after, his other hand soared upwards, rotating around in the same way. Fionn could see his legs kicking furiously under the water. After a few strokes, Aidan’s head tilted to the side. His mouth opened briefly, sucking in precious air, before his face disappeared beneath the surface once more.

“Front crawl,” Ryan called out, indicating the style Aidan was currently performing. Fionn looked on warily.

After having swum roughly ten metres out from his starting position, Aidan’s head broke the surface fully. He leaned back until he was nearly lying on top of the water’s surface. Then, he brought his arm up and around, moving it past his ear and scooping the water, propelling himself backwards. Just like before, his other arm followed, so that both arms were pinwheeling through the water.

“Backstroke,” Ryan said.

Aidan returned to his starting point. He ducked back down under the water, before zooming forward. Unlike the previous two strokes, Aidan’s arms did not break the surface. Instead, his head popped up out of the water, then quickly ducked back down as he glided forward again. His legs and arms seemed to be moving in an erratic fashion, spreading outwards before coming back in again. The movement, Fionn noted, was what pushed the surfer through the water.

“Breaststroke.”

Aidan came around for the final turn. He shot back towards the starting position once again. Like before, his head came up out of the water. This time, however, his arms came careening up over his head, moving in tandem, and then came crashing down again. Every other strong kick of his legs sent his torso shooting up out of the water, before he plunged back down. The effect looked somewhat bizarre.

“And butterfly,” Ryan said, with an air of finality.

Aidan swam back over to Fionn. “What d’you think?”

Fionn remained silent. None of those ‘strokes’ had seemed particularly easy. Especially not for someone like him. Aidan had made it look so effortless, but Fionn doubted that he would quickly get the hang of any of them.

“…D’you recommend any of them?” Fionn asked hopefully.

Aidan said, “Probably the front crawl. It’s the one people use most often. The fastest one, too.”

But Ryan interjected. “No way! He should start with the breaststroke. It comes naturally, and it’s easier to breathe with.”

“Not for _everyone_ ,” Aidan pointed out.

“What about that one where your face stays above the water?” Fionn muttered.

“Backstroke?”

“Yeah, that one.”

Ryan frowned. “I don’t think people usually start with backstroke…”

“Well, I don’t care,” Fionn said irritably. “It suits me better. I…only really start panicking when my head goes underwater, you know.”

Aidan had an expression full of sympathy. “It’s okay, Fionn. I’ll show you how to do the backstroke. Don’t worry.”

Fionn smiled in relief. “Cheers, Aidan. You’re a hero.”

Aidan basked in the praise, ignoring Ryan’s snickering as he did.

“Alright. Now, lean back a bit so your back is nearly on top of the water…”

The next hour or so was spent teaching Fionn how to swim backstroke. A significant period of that time was devoted to overcoming the rugby star’s fear of the water. Aidan and Ryan observed how he grew tense whenever his head drew near to the water’s surface, sometime even lurching violently away. Trying to get Fionn to relax when he was in the water was the most difficult part of the lesson. Fortunately for them all, by the end of the lesson, Fionn had successfully swum a short distance in the pool. Aidan was pleased with how far the Ultimate Rugby Star had come in such a short space of time.

“I think that’s all for tonight,” Aidan eventually said. “You’ve done a grand job, Fionn. Well done.”

Fionn beamed. He, too, was delighted by how he had progressed. “Thanks a lot, Aidan.”

“I helped, too!” Ryan butted in.

“…I suppose.” Fionn shrugged. “So, are we finished?”

“Actually,” Aidan said, “there’s one last thing. I want to show you how to float on water.”

Ryan grinned. “Oh, yeah. That’s _easy_. Watch.”

He leaned back and spread his arms and legs wide, allowing him to float belly-up on top of the water’s surface.

Fionn’s eyes widened. “How are you doing that?”

Aidan performed the same action, settling on top of the water, floating like a dream.

“All you have to do is spread your weight out across the surface,” the surfer explained.

Fionn shrank nervously into the water. “You’re…sure I won’t sink?”

“I’m positive. If you do it right, you’ll float perfectly.”

The water lapped hungrily at Fionn’s body, only heightening his sense of anxiety. He spread his arms and leaned back as far as he could. He almost cried out when the water surged up to his neck.

“Just relax,” Aidan said. “Spread yourself out a bit more.”

“You can do it!” Ryan called encouragingly.

Fionn swallowed his fear and leaned all the way back, pushing off of the pool’s floor and spreading his limbs out. To his shock and euphoria, he didn’t sink at all. The water splashed around his ears, but he found the sensation to be oddly relaxing. He glided on top of the water like a dream. He nearly laughed aloud.

“Good, isn’t it?” Aidan’s voice came from nearby.

“It’s great,” Fionn replied. “I’m glad I came out here. You two lads are sound as a pound.”

“Aww, thanks!” Ryan cooed.

The three of them fell silent, basking in the serenity of the swimming pool at night. They gazed up at the ceiling, pondering what lay on the other side.

“I wonder how everyone’s getting on without us?” Fionn murmured.

“What? The lads back in the dormitories?”

“No, I mean the people _outside_.”

“Oh, yeah. I left the poor women of Wicklow broken-hearted when I came here,” Ryan commented, his voice dry.

“Lookin’ up at the ceilin’ makes you think of home, doesn’t it?” Aidan asked.

“Yeah. It’s been too long since I’ve seen the night sky. Or a sky at all, really.”

“Ah, bless,” Ryan snarked, prompting Aidan to swing an arm towards him. Ryan quickly paddled away, laughing as he went.

After a few more minutes of floating, Fionn said, “Are we ready to go back now?”

“I thought you were enjoying this?” Ryan asked.

“I _was,_ ” he admitted, “but now I’m just tired. And cold. Let’s go back before my knob freezes off.”

“You can’t say fairer than that, then.”


	19. Chapter 3: The Light of the Mind - Part 3

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

The next morning’s announcement made Aidan want to bury his head in his pillow and deny the morning’s existence. He just wanted a _few_ hours more. At least. But the others would probably panic if he didn’t make it to the breakfast table on time, and so he hauled himself up out of the bed. He scoured the bedroom for a pair of boxers - preferably ones that were clean – before getting dressed in his usual vest and a pair of shorts. Like everyone else in this place, Aidan had been given an entire set of clothes in his wardrobe that were exact duplicates of the clothes he had worn on the day of his arrival. The surfer had never really cared much for fashion, but he'd quickly grown tired of wearing the same clothes every day. He could hardly imagine how the others felt about it.

He was still knackered from his trip to the pool the night before, with Fionn and Ryan. The big lad had been more afraid of water than Aidan had been expecting, and it had taken time to get him to calm down. But Aidan had still enjoyed the experience, as had Ryan. Regardless, he was still tired as he made his way over to the refectory. He might just go straight back to bed after eating breakfast. Or just have a snooze in the lounge, instead.

He mumbled greetings to a few people as he entered the refectory. When he sat down, he found himself facing Michael. The Ultimate Vet was full of cheer, as ever.

“Good morning, Aidan!”

Aidan made an attempt to reply that turned into a yawn halfway through.

“Sleep well?” Michael asked.

“Not _enough_ ,” Aidan said, prompting the vet to let out a brief chuckle.

“Cuppa tay?” Michael offered, gesturing towards the teapot atop the dining table, but the surfer shook his head.

“No, you’re alright. I don’t drink much tea.”

Michael blinked, his smile dimming slightly. “R-really? Are you sure you don’t want some…?”

“It’s fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Positive?”

“Yes!” Aidan snapped.

Michael relaxed, his grin returning in full force. “Sorry. I’m only messin’ with you. Still, it’s rare to meet someone who doesn’t enjoy the odd cup.”

“For me, it’s coffee or nothin’,” Aidan grumbled. “In the mornin’, anyway.”

The vet shrugged. “‘To each his own,’” he muttered. He began to grow somewhat curious of the surfer. After all, Aidan tended to keep himself to himself. Because of that, the two of them had never really had a conversation before.

“So, what else d’you like, then?” Michael asked. “Sports, films, music, that sort of thing.”

Aidan frowned. “You want to have a chat with me? After the things I said to you in that courtroom?”

Michael waved a hand dismissively. “Sure, who cares about that anymore? It’s in the past, like. Now, go on. Tell me.”

Despite himself, a small smile crept across Aidan’s face. “Alright, then. I like playin’ soccer and hurlin’, but I’ve always wanted to play American football. I like listenin’ to techno and my favourite film is _Alien_. So, what about yourself?”

“Me? I like playin’ Gaelic football and soccer, and I like listenin’ to trad.”

“Oh, really? What’s your favourite film, then?”

“ _In Bruges_.”

“Cool,” Aidan replied.

“Now it’s your turn,” Michael told him. “You’ve to ask me some questions.”

“Fair enough. What kind of women d’you like?”

Michael flinched. “Oh…eh…why’d you ask that?”

“The best way to know what a fella’s like is to ask him what kind of women his prefers,” Aidan said. “That’s what my brother told me years ago.”

“…W-well” Michael stammered. “I…never really thought about it.”

“Why not? Have you ever had a girlfriend before?”

“Y-yeah. I have one at the moment, actually.”

“Really? What’s her name?”

“Mia,” the vet responded, with no small amount of hesitation.

“And what’s she like?”

“Sh-she’s small. And she’s got dark hair and brown eyes. She went to school with me, back in Limerick.”

Aidan saw how uncomfortable the other boy was getting. He probably missed her a lot. Suddenly, Aidan regretted bringing the topic up. “Look…never mind. I shouldn’t have asked you that. Sorry, Mick.”

“Huh? Oh, it’s not a problem! You couldn’t have…” Michael stopped talking abruptly, his eyes trailing downward. “It’s fine,” he finished, after a moment.

Aidan felt even worse. He decided the best thing to do would be to change the subject entirely. “Eh…so, what’s bein’ a vet like?”

Michael cheered up so quickly that it nearly made Aidan jump. “It’s great! I get to spend time with lots of people, and especially with their animals. I love my job, I really do!” His smile gave no trace of the discomfort he had been showing only moments before.

“…Could you tell me more about it?” Aidan asked.

“Absolutely!”

 

*** 

 

Louise swiped her ID card into the lock and pushed the door open. “Here we are!” she proclaimed as she swanned into her bedroom, closely followed by Niamh and Ciara. Niamh took in the interior of the room with a glance, noting its similarity to her own: the room was kept moderately tidy, the bed was made and the walls were lined with bookshelves. Unlike Niamh’s room, however, there were several newspaper front-page articles posted up on the wall. The topics the articles covered ranged from sporting events to political controversies. And Niamh had a feeling she knew who had penned each and every article.

“Did you write all of these?” Ciara asked.

“Hmmm?” Louise saw where the two girls were looking. “Oh, those old things. Yes, you’re correct. Those are just some of the many front-page articles I have written and published. I know it’s a bit vain…but, still. Sentimental value and all that.”

Niamh had no such achievements or mementos to display around her own room. In that respect, she quite envied the Ultimate Journalist.

“I think it’s incredible,” Niamh said. “You’ve accomplished so much at such a young age.”

Louise gave her a quizzical look. “And _you_ haven’t? You’re one of the most well-known models in the country, and you’re younger than me! Most girls would be thrilled to have had the same opportunities as you.”

Niamh’s face took on a glum expression. “Maybe so. But how many of the things I’ve done were down to _me_? Phil, my agent, handles all of my business deals. All I do is smile and look pretty.”

Ciara glanced over. “Hey, it’s pretty much the same for me, Niamh. All I do is stand up and play. But I don’t feel bad about it. Neither should you.”

Louise frowned, crossing over to face Niamh. “Where is all this negativity coming from? I thought you liked being a model?”

“I thought I did…” Niamh sighed. “But I never really saw the appeal. You know my mam convinced me to do it. I never knew what it would entail.” She took a breath. “Actually, I was planning on quitting the fashion industry once I graduated from St. Elpis’. I was going to go on and do a mathematics degree in university. I’d love to be a maths teacher or a lecturer.” She slumped onto the bed, sitting down dejectedly. “But now…that’ll never happen.”

Louise tutted, before sitting down next to the model. “Come now, don’t be like that. You’re not the only one here who’s had their dreams crushed. All of us have lost something by ending up in this dreadful place. You’re not alone, you know.”

“B-but…I just…” Niamh shuddered.

“Remember what Jack said?” Ciara asked. “We mustn’t lose hope. After all, we’ve been trapped and held against our will by some fucked-up psychopath. We’ve been cut off entirely from our families and friends. Someone’s bound to come along eventually and help us out.

“Precisely! I can’t imagine that the government would stand for this!” Louise said primly.

“…”

“I know how you feel,” Ciara told her. “Keeping up hope isn’t easy. Especially when all you want to do is to give in to despair.” Her eyes grew hard. “But the things in life that are difficult are the things that are worth doing!”

“Hear, hear!” Louise cried. “Truer words have never been spoken. And, as a journalist, I would know.”

Niamh giggled, despite herself. “Alright, alright. I’ll stop moping for now.” Her smile waned ever so slightly. “Just promise me you’ll always be here for me. The two of you.”

“Awww.” Ciara pulled the model into a hug. “It’s not just the two of us who’re looking out for you. You have Alex, as well. And the rest of them.”

“I know…but, will you promise anyway?”

Louise smiled. “Of course, darling. Now cheer up. We’ve got a fun afternoon planned, after all.”

Ciara decided against mentioning the fact that, the last time herself and Louise were having a party in a friend’s room, the friend had been killed only a short time later. The thought made her uneasy.

Aloud, she said, “I’ve brought my portable DVD player. There are some DVDs in the bag, there.” She pointed to a small satchel she had brought with her. “What do ye want to watch?”

“A documentary!” Louise called.

“A horror film,” Niamh said simultaneously.

Ciara blinked. “Er…I’ll have a look…”

 

***

 

“So, why are we doing this?” Nathan asked. He leaned against the teacher’s desk, at the front of the classroom. “Whenever we searched the other floors’ classrooms, we found nothing.”

Jack was scanning every detail of the hall. “You never know. Just because the other floors had empty classrooms doesn’t mean that _this_ one will.”

Nathan shrugged. He didn’t want to admit it, but he felt uneasy rooting around in the second floor classrooms. Unlike the previous sets of classrooms, whose desks and chairs were ordered and organised, the third floor had classrooms that were messy and chaotic. Tables and chairs were upturned, posters were only half-hanging onto the walls, and the blackboards had bizarre phrases scrawled all over them. This one in particular had the words, _Who’s afraid of the big, bad Monobear?_ written on it.

Eventually, long after Nathan had grown tired of staring at the message, Jack sighed and said, “Right, then. Onto the next one.”

Nathan nodded grudgingly and stood up. The two of them left the classroom behind, crossing the hall and entering the next one. This hall was nearly identical in its disordered state. Only the words on the blackboard had changed. It seemed to be a collection of words in various different languages, none of which included English. Nathan didn’t recognise any of them, except for the word in the lower-right corner.

“ _Éadóchas_ ,” he read. “That’s Irish, isn’t it?”

Jack nodded. “It means ‘despair’, believe it or not. And the word above it, _désespoir_ , means the same thing in French.”

Nathan’s eyes moved over the board. “Then all of these probably mean ‘despair’, as well.”

“That’s right,” Jack said, pointing to a particular word on the far side of the board. “ _Verzweiflung_ ,there, which is German.” He pointed to another. “ _Rozpacz_ is Polish. And the one beside it is probably Russian.”

Nathan marvelled at his friend’s language skills. “Can you speak all of those languages?”

Jack grinned. “Not _all_ of them. And I’m not exactly fluent in most of them. I’m the Ultimate All-Rounder, not the Ultimate Linguist.”

Nathan’s eyes fell upon a series of complex characters that looked completely foreign to him:

絶望

“What’s this?” Nathan asked. “Chinese?”

“Could be Japanese, also,” Jack commented. “The word for despair in Japanese is _zetsubou_.”

Nathan glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “I’ll take your word for it. Unless you’re just making this up?”

Jack shook his head. “I _never_ make things up.

There were more characters at the very top of the board that were similar to the Japanese ones:

江ノ島 **  
**

“And what does _this_ say?”

Jack grimaced, searching his small, mental collection of Japanese words and phrases. “I haven’t a clue, man. Must be important, though, if it’s written on the top.”

Nathan shrugged again. “I don’t get this. Why are these words written here?”

“Sounds like something Monobear would do,” Jack muttered, turning away from the board and facing the classroom.

“True,” Nathan said. “He seems to like despair as much as _you_ like hope.”

Jack didn’t respond, prompting Nathan to glance back at him, a sarcastic comment dying on his lips once he saw what the all-rounder was holding: a photograph.

“Where’d you find that?”

“…It was lying on top of the desk,” Jack mumbled a few moments later, his throat sounding parched.

Nathan frowned. What was in the photograph that had caused Jack to act so strangely? He stepped forward and leaned over the other boy’s shoulder at the photo, his stomach lurching one he saw what was on it.

There were four people in the picture. A boy wearing a Kilkenny jersey was being grabbed from behind and forced into a headlock by a blonde girl with a small nose. The two of them were grinning madly, obviously in the middle of a play fight. But another girl, one with dark brown hair, was walking over to them with a stern expression on her face, clearly about to lecture them on their behaviour. In the background was yet another girl, with shiny black hair. Her hand was covering her mouth, but it was plain that she was on the verge of a giggling fit. Apart from the boy, they were all wearing matching school uniforms.

Nathan swallowed. “Th-this is…”

Jack nodded shakily. “I know. It’s them.”

Seán Gleeson, Deirdre Callaghan, Ellie O’Donaghue and Gráinne Mahon. The four students who had died thus far.

“I can’t believe it…” Jack’s eyes seemed to shine. “They must’ve survived! They’re alive somewhere, waiting for us!”

Nathan took a step backwards from his friend. “Jack,” he said, with a wary tone, “I don’t think that’s true. We felt for their pulses, Jack. Ellie and Gráinne. They definitely died. And we actually _saw_ what happened to the other two. There’s no way they could have survived.”

“Then…what _is_ this?” Jack gaped at the photo he held in his hand. “When was this picture taken? _How_ was this picture taken?”

“I don’t know, Jack,” Nathan said. “But I bet that the ‘mastermind’ has something to do with it. Why else would this photo be left lying on a desk? Whoever they are, they _wanted_ us to find this.”

Jack stared at the picture for another long moment, before sighing and slipping it into his pocket. “You’re probably right. Either way, we need to show this to the others.”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

They left the classroom, avidly discussing the bizarre photograph, but stopped when they walked out into the corridor. There, before their eyes, was a single figure. It staggered and shambled towards them in the half-light, trembling and groaning incoherently as it went. The closer it came, the more the two boys could make out what it was saying.

“…D'you think I don't know what people call me behind my back? Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!”

Nathan peered closely at the figure, trying to discern its shape.

“…We know what we are, but know not what we may be… Good-night, ladies; good-night, sweet ladies; good-night, good-night.”

“What the fuck…?” Nathan whispered.

“…Can’t read my, can’t read my…no, he can’t read my poker face…”

Jack groaned, remembering what Louise had told him the day before. “It’s just Orlagh.”

The Ultimate Gaeilgeoir stepped out of the gloom. Her clothes were dishevelled, as was her hair. Her eyes were bleary and red-rimmed, evident of at least a few sleepless nights. Her face was puffy, indicating that she had recently been crying, and heavily.

“O-Orlagh…?” Nathan tried to call out to her, but she made no effort to respond.

“Can you hear us?” Jack asked.

When Orlagh remained silent, Jack grumbled and stepped towards her. He was wary of the Gaeilgeoir; from what Louise had told him, she was acting extremely irrationally. It was dangerous to draw near, but he was confident and optimistic in his abilities, should things get out of hand.

He wasn’t, however, expecting her to draw a pair of scissors and scream loudly in his face. Jack cried out and jumped backwards, taking Nathan with him.

“What the fuck?!” Nathan repeated his earlier sentiment.

“Just who d’you think you’re speaking to, boys?!” she said, in a voice that was even more shrill than her usual fare. “I could kill the two of you with just a flick of my scissors!”

“She’s gone mental!” Nathan croaked.

“Orlagh, please!” Jack waved his arms in an appeasing motion. “Just calm down. You’re not going to kill-”

“Who is this _Orlagh_?!” she cried. “I am the most feared serial killer the world had ever known! Yes, it is I: Genocide Jack, the Ultimate Murderous Fiend!” She twirled the scissors in triumph as the two boys gaped.

“You’re _what_?!” Nathan exclaimed.

“You heard me!” she screamed. “And, to be honest, the two of you are looking _mighty_ killable right now!”

Nathan flinched. “J-Jack, I think she might really do it.”

“Don’t worry,” he said. “We might be able to sneak past her.”

“How?”

Jack edged over to the wall. “Just grab onto my arm and get ready to run.”

“…What are you-”

The lights went out, and Orlagh howled. Nathan, having grabbed onto Jack’s arm, felt a sudden tug and was pulled along down the corridor, past the screaming girl. Abruptly, the darkness gave way to light as the two of them spilled out into the second floor hallway, near the stairwell. Orlagh’s voice faded away as Jack and Nathan dashed down the stairs.

“I can’t believe that worked,” Jack said.

Nathan grinned in exhilaration as he let go of Jack’s arm. “I suppose we were lucky that the ‘Ultimate Murderous Fiend’ is extremely easily disorientated.”

Jack’s expression grew sombre. “I wonder what could have happened to make her so disturbed?”

“Less wondering, more running,” Nathan told him. “We need to find the others and tell them about that photo.”

“And Orlagh, too.”

“Agreed.”

 

***

 

Fortunately for Jack and Nathan, the other students had already gathered in the refectory for dinner. Most of them were in the middle of tucking into their meal when the two boys burst through the doors.

“We have news,” Jack declared. “Is everyone here?”

Aisling was taken aback by their sudden appearance, but she nodded regardless. “Yeah. Everyone except Orlagh, anyway.”

Nathan grimaced. “Yeah, we know. We kind of need to talk about her.”

“But first,” Jack said, and slammed his hand down on the table, causing everyone’s heads to turn in the direction of the sudden noise. He withdrew his hand, leaving a single photograph on the surface of the table.

Those closest to the photo leaned over to examine it. Their shocked reactions drew the remaining students over. Once everybody had seen what the photograph depicted, Ciara called out.

“But what does it _mean_? Those…those people are all dead! How’re they…?”

Nathan empathised with the guitarist’s confusion. “We don’t know. We found this upstairs, in one of the second floor classrooms. It…was just lying there, on a desk.”

Michael’s eyebrows shot up. “Just lyin’ there? Then, that probably means…”

Alex nodded. “It’s a distinct possibility that Monobear left the photograph for us to find.”

“So that mastermind fella _wanted_ us to see it,” Fionn muttered, a deep frown creasing his forehead.

“…Could this have something to do with what happened to us after our arrival in St. Elpis’?” Louise wondered aloud.

Niamh nodded. “That makes sense. It fits in with the incentive he gave us yesterday.”

Aidan grumbled. “So, he’s just tryin’ to make us kill each other. Again.”

Jack scratched his chin thoughtfully. “But, if we found _that_ photo, maybe there’ll be more hidden around the place. If we find enough clues, we might be able to piece together what happened without killing anybody.” He smiled, pleased with this idea. “Alright, then. We should search around the building for photographs like this one.”

“Starting _now_?” Aisling whined, glancing forlornly at her unfinished plate of hot food.

“As soon as possible,” Jack said. “We could start tomorrow.”

“Hold on, Jack,” Nathan said, giving his friend a nudge. “You forgot to tell them about Orlagh.”

Louise sighed. “Who does she claim to be now?” Despite her seemingly-blasé attitude, Louise clearly had a worried expression on her face. She had been the one to inform everyone about the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir’s transformation into the raving madwoman she had become. They had all done their best to avoid her thereafter. But it seemed that the two boys before her had not succeeded in that endeavour.

Nathan said, “She thinks she’s Genocide Jack.”

For every student that blinked in surprise, there was another with a perplexed frown.

“Who’s Genocide Jack?” Aisling asked. “Is he any relation to _you_?” She glanced at the Ultimate All-Rounder, who waved a hand in response.

“A different Jack,” he replied.

“Genocide Jack,” Alex explained, “is the epithet given to a world-famous Japanese serial killer, otherwise known as ‘Genocider Syo’. Supposedly, nobody knows their true identity. In fact, very little information about them is public knowledge.”

“Which is why there are so many conspiracy theories about Genocide Jack online,” Niamh added. “The main reason why Genocide Jack’s known in this part of the world at all is because of the wild speculation on the internet about him or her.”

A bemused grin spread across Ryan’s face. “You don’t think that Orlagh is the _real_ Genocide Jack, do you?”

Alex shook his head. “I highly doubt that such a dangerous and evasive killer is really just a normal teenage girl. Add that to the fact that all of the killer’s victims are Japanese and it rules out the possibility entirely.”

“So,” Aidan muttered, “it’s just Orlagh bein’ crazy again.”

“Why’d you want to tell us about this?” Ciara asked curiously.

Nathan winced. “Well, she…kind of threatened us with scissors.”

“And screamed at us,” Jack supplied.

“And quoted _Harry Potter_.”

“And _Hamlet,_ too.”

“And she scared the shit out of us,” Nathan finished.

“We managed to escape by turning off the light,” Jack told them. “The darkness confused her enough for us to get away. We have no idea where she is right now.”

“She might be more dangerous than we thought,” Aisling said.

“But what can we do?” Michael asked.

“We could tie her up for a while,” Aidan suggested. “Just until she calms down, like.”

Jack firmly shook his head. “That won’t solve anything in the long run. As long as we keep our distance from her, we should be fine. And stick together,” he said.

The meeting was adjourned and, as soon as everyone had finished their dinner, they all departed the refectory, moving in groups as Jack had suggested.

 

***

 

Some time later, shortly after Night Time had fallen, the mastermind heard a knock on the door. They quickly brought up the video feed from outside in the hall, only to see a certain student staring straight into the camera, with an important-looking file in hand.

The mastermind smiled. They mightn’t have bothered checking at all. After all, their faithful mole was the only one who knew about the door they were currently standing before. But the mastermind followed protocol at all times, even to their detriment, one could say. And so, with a press of a button, the mole was given access to the control room.

The student stepped through the door, which sealed shut behind them almost immediately, blending in perfectly with the wall. Surrounding them was a series of monitors that transmitted video from each and every one of the security cameras inside the school building. In the centre of the room was an office desk, with a chair on either side. On the opposite end of the room from where the mole had entered was another door. This one was emblazoned with Monobear’s grinning visage, and was shut tightly. Every time the mole had visited this room, they had wondered intensely what lay beyond the strange door. Alas, today was not the day when its secrets would be revealed.

Sitting on the chair on the far side of the desk was the so-called principal. Monobear beamed at his servant as they entered, indicating them to take a seat.

The student sat down at the desk, sitting across from Monobear. They placed the file on top of the desk, before glaring at the bear until he eventually decided to speak up.

“Well, then,” Monobear said, with an impressed tone, “I’m certainly pleased by how far the project has come along so far. Wouldn’t you agree?”

The spy regarded him for a few moments more, before responding. “…You make it sound like it was _my_ doing.”

“True, there have been a few setbacks here and there,” Monobear admitted. “Your role isn’t quite as integral as I had intended it to be. After all, _you_ were supposed to be the one who set the stage for this grand ‘killing school life’. Instead, you were beaten out by a tuneless harpy and a phony prefect. How does that make you feel?”

The spy remained silent.

“Oh, well,” Monobear said, “there's nothing we can do now. As long as you just continue keeping things exciting within this little group, you’ll have played your part perfectly.” He paused, before allowing his voice to take on a dangerous edge. “You know what will happen if you’re not up to scratch.”

The student shifted uncomfortably in their chair. “Y-yes. I remember.”

Monobear relaxed again, settling back into his seat. “Good, good. I’m glad I chose such a loyal mutt as my mole.” He stopped. “Uh…well… Mutts and moles aren’t…exactly the same. You know what I meant!” he snapped.

“…Are we finished?”

“Yeah, sure. Go right ahead.” Monobear seemed to freeze, as though responding to a new set of inputted commands from the mastermind. “Actually, as a matter of fact, I have a surprise in store for everyone tomorrow. Think of it as a present from me to you all, as thanks for making this game as entertaining as possible.”

“A gift? From _you?_ ”

“They won’t suspect a thing,” Monobear promised. “Not if I’ve done my maths right…”

The student took that as their cue to leave. Their work was done; the file had been handed in. All that was left to do was to figure out a way to face everybody in the morning once again.

Once the mole had gone, Monobear opened up the file and had a look. There was nothing particularly of note, except for the fact that those idiotic students had decided to search for more clues about their missing pasts.

“Those fools!”

Monobear cackled with delight, and his joy was shared by the mastermind in their booth.


	20. Chapter 3: The Light of the Mind - Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's give it everything we've got! Iiiiiiiiiit's filler time!

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

The morning of the thirteenth day broke in the usual fashion, with Monobear hollering over the loudspeakers:

_“Good morning, you pathetic brats! It’s seven o’clock. That means it’s time to wake up and seize the day!”_

When everyone met up in the refectory for breakfast, Jack stood up and announced the agenda for the day.

“We’re going to split up and look for clues,” he said proudly.

Nathan rested his head in his hands. “Did you _really_ just say that?”

Jack carried on as though he hadn’t heard his friend. “I want everyone to partner up and go off and explore. We can meet back here at twelve o’clock to discuss our findings.” He clapped his hands together and exclaimed, “Alright, then? Let’s go!”

Everybody grabbed a friend to partner up with, so it was inevitable that Nathan would end up with Jack again. However, as there were an odd number of students, they allowed a third member to join their group: Alex.

“You’re sure it’s alright for me to come with you?” the physicist asked. “I could stay with Fionn instead.”

“Fionn’s already got a partner,” Jack pointed out, nodding towards the rugby player, who had joined up with Niamh. “And it’s better if you stay with us. We might be able to discuss any of our findings with you.”

Alex shrugged. “Very well. Where should we begin?”

Nathan glanced over at Jack. “Is there any point of searching the second floor classrooms again?”

Jack pursed his lips. “Probably not. We’ll leave that place ‘til last. If we don’t get through the building in time, we’ll try again another day.”

“Then, should we start with the dormitories?” Alex asked. “They are the closest in proximity, after all.”

“Good idea, Alex. Let’s go.”

 

***

 

The next few hours were spent scouring the school from top to bottom in search of mysterious photographs or other suspicious objects. Since the definition of ‘suspicious object’ was a vague one at best, most of the students had very little idea of what they were supposed to be looking for. Several of them quickly grew bored with their task.

But not Aisling Taggart. As the Ultimate Boxer, she constantly required new ways of keeping her focus, of staying driven, no matter what. As such, she was full of energy as she sprinted around the building, looking fervently for anything out of place at all.

Ryan, her unlucky partner, had a hard time keeping up with the boxer’s enthusiasm. He was by no means a slow runner, but he certainly wasn't an athlete. What usually passed for ‘running’ in his worldview was sprinting from stage right to stage left. Not even his regular visits to the gym could have prepared him for partnering up with Aisling.

“Christ, girl,” he called after her as she dashed off yet again, “would you ever calm down?”

She glanced back over her shoulder at the struggling dancer, and she grinned. “We only have a few hours to search the entire school! Move your arse!”

Ryan groaned, continuing the chase.

About five minutes later, Aisling came to a halt. She had managed to breeze through the first floor classrooms and had determined that there wasn’t anything worth investigating. She was now in the lounge by the stairwell, jogging lightly on the spot, waiting for Ryan to catch up. The Ultimate Dancer eventually staggered onto the scene, gasping and panting as quietly as he could.

She tutted. “How d’you get women at _all_ with stamina like that?”

“T-technique,” Ryan moaned.

“Right, well, we’re finished with this floor,” Aisling said. “So now, were moving upstairs. Let’s go!”

But, just as she was about to make for the stairs, Ryan lunged and grabbed her by the arm.

“Wait!” he choked. “Just…just give me a minute to…catch my breath.”

Suddenly, Aisling realised that she might’ve been pushing him a bit too hard. She was a professional athlete, after all. She was used to strenuous exercise, but _he_ clearly wasn’t. It was probably a miracle that he had managed to avoid burning out before now.

So she nodded and said, “Yeah, okay. We’ll take a quick breather.”

Ryan grinned weakly. “Cheers, Ash.” He slumped down into one of the couches. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her wince.

“D’you not like me calling you that?” he asked her.

“Well…it’s just…”

Ryan jerked his head, silently telling her to join him on the couch. “Come on, talk to me. We hardly ever chat outside of dance lessons, which I notice you haven’t been coming to lately.”

Aisling relented, sitting down beside the dancer. “You’re the first person to call me ‘Ash’ since we came here. Before that, the only one who ever called me that was my boyfriend.”

Ryan’s eyes widened a little bit. “Oh, yeah. Aidan mentioned him to me. He never told me his name, mind you.”

“John Culleton,” she answered.

“D’you miss him, then?”

She nodded. “A lot. He was, like, my best mate, as well as a boyfriend. He was good _craic_ , too. He fancied himself a bit of a comedian: always telling jokes and making me laugh. Even though he was popular enough, and had loads of friends, he always made time for me. And he never got intimidated by my brothers, like most of the other lads did. I’d been going out with him for a while.” Her eyes dropped to the floor. “Ever since I got here, he’s been all I can think about. Especially after Jack told us we might’ve been asleep for a year. When you called me ‘Ash’, it made me remember him and…it made me wonder what he’s doing now. D’you think he’s forgotten about me?”

Ryan took a while to answer. “If he’s as sound as you say he is, I’m sure he still remembers you. He’d hardly forget someone if they completely disappeared from his life, without a word, for over a year.”

A sad smile tugged at Aisling’s lips. “I hope you’re right. He might be outside this place right now, waiting for me to come out.” She glanced sideways at Ryan. “What about you? Who’s waiting for you outside this place?”

There was a momentary pause, in which Aisling saw something flicker in the Ultimate Dancer’s eyes. Was it sadness? Or loneliness? But, once the moment had passed, he was all smiles again. “Who knows? If I’m lucky, there’ll be a horde of mad, ravenous, sex-starved women lingering around, ready to devour me as soon as I step outside. And if I’m _really_ lucky, they’ll have brought their brothers along, too.”

“Ugh.” Aisling gave him a light shove. “I swear to God, all you think about is sex.”

Ryan chuckled. “It’s what keeps me motivated. That, and alcohol. But there isn’t much of _that_ going around here, either.”

As if on cue, there was a soft _clink_ of bottles clanging together, and the two of them jumped.

“Did you hear that?” Ryan asked.

Aisling nodded, pointing over to the opposite couch. “It came from over there.”

They got up off of the couch and crossed over to the other side of the room. They crept around the side of the other couch, scarcely believing their eyes.

Lying there, on the floor behind the couch, was a horde of beer cans and bottles, as well as a few pint and shot glasses.

“I…I…” Ryan’s mouth opened and closed, in a startlingly-accurate impression of a fish.

Aisling gaped. “How…where did…?”

Their eyes fell upon a slip of paper beside the beverages, with words typed across it in a serious, businesslike font. Ryan picked up the card and read it.

_Dear you guys,_

_I left these here as a present for you losers. Think of it as a gift for all your hard work over the last two weeks. Remember to drink responsibly!_

-      _The Big M_

_P.S. – Upupupupupupupupu!_

 

Ryan blinked. “Oh.”

Aisling snatched the card out of his hand and read it herself.

“Oh,” she said.

A manic grin was now plastered across Ryan’s face. “We’re going to get so fucking hammered tonight,” he said with relish.

“Ah, wait a second!” Aisling cried. “Monobear left this to us, right? Why should we trust anything he gives us?”

Ryan whined. “But it’s been so goddamn long since I had a drink! _Please_ , Aisling!”

His big, brown eyes were wide, pleading with her. Aisling tried to quell the fluttery feeling that arose within her in response.

She sighed. “We need to find the others and tell them about this. Until then…I suppose we could keep them in the refectory’s fridge.”

Ryan let out of cheer of exhilaration, picked the boxer up and spun her around. “Thank you _so_ much, Aisling! If you didn’t have a boyfriend, I would shift you so badly right now!”

Aisling scowled, her cheeks tinged with pink. “Just pick up the bloody drink, would you?”

“Yes, sir, miss!” He grabbed as many bottles and cans as he could carry before practically jumping down the stairs, hollering with delight.

 _There something seriously wrong with that child_ , Aisling thought, as she picked up a handful of glasses, before following the dancer.

 

***

 

A short while later, Nathan, Jack and Alex trudged back into the refectory with identical expressions of exhaustion.

“We didn’t find _anything_ ,” Nathan grumbled. “We never even got a chance to explore the second floor.”

“Such a waste of time,” Alex muttered.

Despite his fatigue, Jack tried to hold onto his optimism. “Maybe the others found something? We won’t know until we ask.”

Alex looked half-heartedly at his watch. “They ought to be back in about five minutes, so until then-”

The doors of the refectory burst open behind them and in marched Ryan and Aisling,both wearing identical grins.

“You’ll _never_ guess what we found!” the Ultimate Dancer exclaimed.

 

*** 

 

Somehow, despite all logic, Nathan found himself sitting on the floor in the ground floor lounge that evening, surrounded by his companions and facing a veritable mountain of alcohol. Looking back on the day’s events, he realised, it was all very _weird_. The meeting in the refectory at noon had been intended to discuss the findings of their morning investigation. Instead, the conversation had turned to the gift from Monobear that Ryan and Aisling had found: an evening’s supply of drink. Nearly everyone had been too focused on the exciting prospect of having some alcohol for the first time in ages to even think about their predicament. The rest of the day had been taken over by the buzz everyone had felt, until dinner was over and everybody gathered in the lounge for the party. Ryan was encouraging everyone to drink themselves into a stupor. Nathan was thoroughly taken aback by everyone’s attitude: they had seemingly all forgotten about the fact that they were trapped in a twisted prison and completely at the mercy of a freakish bear. They were all laughing, cheering, downing their glasses before drinking some more. All the while, Nathan looked warily at the still-full bottle he held in his hand.

Jack gave him a nudge. “Are you going to drink at all?”

Nathan eyed the all-rounder. “Why are you acting so…relaxed? Everyone’s letting their guards down just because Monobear gave us some drink.”

Jack grimaced. “Nate, you can’t be on-guard all of the time. If you do, you’ll just become paranoid. So, that’s why I think it’s a good idea for everyone to just let loose every once in a while. It’s a great way to keep hope alive.”

Nathan groaned. “I _knew_ it would all come back to hope eventually.” He took a quick swig from his bottle, tasting the sour flavour of the cider as it swirled around in his mouth, and feeling a tingling sensation as he swallowed the mouthful.

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Is it good?”

“No,” Nathan replied, before taking another drink of it.

As the evening wore on, Nathan became gradually aware of how the room seemed to be growing foggy. His head, too, felt foggy, and his thoughts were harder to gather into coherency. Looking around the lounge, he could see a roomful of flushed faces, unfocused gazes and dazed smiles. All of these were new, unfamiliar sensations. Even though he was nearly fifteen, he had never had a drink before in his life; something that was practically unheard of in Ireland. But, the more he drank, the less attention he paid to these unusual experiences. He just wanted to drink _more_ …

At some point, Ryan called out, “Let’s play a game!”

“Which game?” Aisling asked, stifling a giggle as she did so.

“Truth or Dare!” Louise cried. The journalist’s poised demeanour had diminished steadily over the course of the evening. By this point, she was swaying ever so slightly where she sat, smiling vacantly.

Ryan clicked his fingers. “Great idea! In fact, it’s _such_ a good idea that I’ll go first!”

Aidan laughed loudly. “Bastard!”

“I pick…Jack!”

The Ultimate All-Rounder shrugged. “Alright, then. Truth.”

“Are you a virgin?” Ryan asked, prompting a few people around the circle to splutter, while others laughed and cheered.

Jack just smiled and said. “I’m afraid so. I’m only fifteen, you know. Early days, yet. Why’d you want to know?”

Ryan grinned lazily. “Just curious. Who’s next?”

Aisling stuck her hand up. “Me!”

Aidan chuckled. “Good idea! We’ll go…eh…clockwise!”

“I pick Ryan!”

Ryan’s grin broadened. “I can’t wait. Truth.”

“Have you ever given yourself a blowjob?” She barely managed to get the question out before she erupted into a fit of giggles.

Ryan was unfazed. “I’ve tried, but it didn’t work. I’m not _that_ flexible.”

Next in the circle was Niamh, whose cheeks were relatively pale compared to most of the others. “I pick Michael.”

The vet sat up. “Dare,” he said.

“Okay, then. I dare you to…do a handstand.”

Michael stood and said, “I’ll try.” He leaned downwards, before pushing himself up off the floor using his feet. He was able to hold his body up off the floor for about five seconds before he wobbled. Louise shrieked as he nearly came toppling down on her, to the amusement of everyone else.

Alex was next. The physicist, uncharacteristically, was grinning from ear-to-ear. When he spoke, his voice was unusually loud. “I pick Aidan.”

“Sure,” the surfer said. “Dare.”

“Take your shirt off.”

The boy’s demand received a few raised eyebrows from around the room, but Aidan simply smiled. He reached down and slowly, teasingly lifted the bottom of his vest up and over his abdomen, his chest, and finally his head and shoulders. He tossed the discarded piece of clothing over onto a nearby couch as several people laughed and applauded.

“I pick Alex,” Fionn said, as soon as the noise had died down a bit.

Alex stared curiously up at his friend. “Dare.”

“…Take _your_ shirt off.”

The room erupted again in cheers and a few whistles. Alex only grinned, before unbuttoning his polo shirt and sliding it up over his head. Regardless of the great difference in muscle mass between himself and Aidan, Alex showed no shame or discomfort in his shirtless state.

 _How much could he have drunk to make him so carefree?_ Nathan wondered, as Ciara began her turn.

“Michael,” she called. “Truth or dare?”

“Me again?” The vet grinned. “Truth, this time.”

“Which one of us girls would you most like to shift?”

His face burned bright red, his grin sliding off his face. “I…I actually have a girlfriend.”

Ciara blinked. “Oh, really? What’s her name?”

Michael frowned. “Eh…isn’t that two questions?”

Ryan nodded his head. “He’s right, Ciara. Ask him next turn, alright?”

The guitarist shrugged, as Jack said, “I pick Ryan.”

“Truth.”

“How often do you masturbate?”

Ryan roared with laughter. “And here I was, thinking you were no _craic_ at all, Jacko! Let’s see…usually, I tried to fit in two or three sessions a day. But, ever since I got here, I’ve been improving. Now I usually get five or six a day!” He laughed again, and several of the lads joined in.

It was now Nathan’s turn. “I pick…Ciara.” He blurted the name out before he could stop himself. Was this the effect of the alcohol?

The Ultimate Guitarist smiled at him. “Truth.”

He suddenly regretted his choice. The way she was looking at him made it hard to return her gaze. “Eh…what’s your favourite drink?” Immediately, he cursed himself for his rather tame question. But nobody else complained, and Ciara even answered the question for him.

“Probably Jägermeister,” she replied.

He nodded hurriedly. “Okay. Cool.” He didn’t even know what ‘Jägermeister’ was, but it sounded dangerous.

Michael said, “Louise.”

“Dare.”

“I dare you to…shift Aidan.”

The surfer grinned as he stood up and turned to where Louise sat beside him. He reached down and hauled her up to her feet. Once he had done so, it became obvious how different the two of them were in terms of height.

“Should I bend down a little bit?” Louise murmured to him.

Aidan’s smile dropped.

She patted his cheek. “Just a joke. Chin up,” she ordered.

He tilted his head up to her, and their lips met. Or, at least, their _tongues_ did. Once they had been kissing for a few seconds, Aidan moved his hands around to the journalist’s behind. In response, she began running her hands up and down his rugged torso. The moment seemed to drag on a few seconds too long, but they still received a round of applause and some cheers. Once it was over, they resumed their place in the circle once again.

Louise blinked. “Oh? Oh, it’s _my_ turn?” She giggled. “Very well, then. I pick Fionn.”

The Ultimate Rugby Star practically jumped. “Eh, dare?” he said, not realising what he had brought upon himself until it was too late.

Louise had a sinister smile. “I dare you to shift _Alex_.”

The room was filled with a few gasps and the usual chorus of cheers. Fionn himself turned as white as a sheet and looked completely petrified. Alex, on the other hand, had a delighted grin as he got to his feet. Fionn’s knees were shaking ever so slightly as he, too, stood up. The height difference between the two boys was even more pronounced than between Aidan and Louise.

Fionn swallowed. “Al…I…”

Alex interrupted whatever the rugby player was going to say by reaching his arms up around Fionn’s neck and pulling him down into a kiss. Fionn froze, but a few seconds of Alex’s lips squirming against his own made him slowly relax, and open his mouth. The students’ cheers were nearly deafening. The Ultimate Physicist detached one hand from the back of Fionn’s neck, reached down and slid the hand underneath Fionn’s shirt, feeling the firm flesh beneath. Fionn responded with great enthusiasm, grabbing Alex by the rear and pulling him closer.

This went on for well over a minute before they finally broke apart, panting heavily, and staring into each other’s eyes with wonder. They moved in again, hungry for more, but Ryan called out, “Hold on, hold on! Save it for later!” The two boys abruptly stepped away from each other, blushing furiously, before they sat down again.

“I pick Ciara,” Aidan said.

“Truth,” she said.

“Have you ever shifted another girl before?”

She nodded. “Of course. I’m bi.”

Aidan raised an eyebrow. “So, who was it?”

“That’s two questions,” she reminded him gleefully.

“Then it’s back to me!” Ryan said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. “I pick Ciara!”

She flung her hands up in the air. “Alright. Dare.”

“I dare you to shift…anybody in this room.”

A chorus of ‘ooohs’ went up around the lounge, while Ciara shook her head.

“You just want me to pick a girl, don’t you?” When there was no response from the dancer, she said, “I’ll just pick whoever I want, then.”

And, to Nathan’s absolute astonishment, her eyes fell on him.

“Nathan,” she called. “Come here to me.”

There were more cheers and practically everybody wolf-whistled. Nathan’s stomach was bubbling intensely, and his heart was pounding faster than he would have believed. It took a small dig in the ribs from Jack before he could move. He shot to his feet and stumbled over to where the guitarist sat. He stuck a trembling hand down towards her, which she accepted with that same, beautiful smile of hers. Fortunately for Nathan, Ciara was a bit smaller than he was. The last thing he needed at this point was another blow to his self-confidence.

Ciara saw how nervous the Ultimate Lucky Student was, and she whispered gently to him, “It’s alright. Just relax.” She was still wearing that smile he liked so much as she leaned in and brought her lips up against his.

Nathan could scarcely believe what was happening. He was so surprised that he nearly forgot to open his mouth. Once he did, he found himself easing into the kiss. He brought his hands up and around her back, bringing her in tightly against him. Ciara raised her hands to the side of his face as her tongue flecked the inside of his mouth. Her breath tasted of alcohol. As did his own, he imagined. Nathan felt his heart rate begin to quicken once again. He became acutely aware of her body pressing up against his, and savoured the sensation. He let his hands boldly wander down Ciara’s back, slowly moving towards her hips, then her waist and beyond. She returned the favour by gently biting his bottom lip, causing him to gasp and accidentally break the kiss. He was instantly filled with regret: he hadn’t wanted it to end so soon. The moment they broke apart, Nathan realised how loudly their fellow students had been shouting, having completely forgotten about them the moment Ciara had clamped her mouth down over his own. But Ciara was smiling again, as she stared into his eyes. She gave him one last peck before she turned away and sat back down. Numbly, Nathan wandered over to his place in the circle and sat back down beside Jack, who clapped him on the back and told him he was proud.

After that, the party all but devolved into people being dared to shift each other. Even those who chose ‘truth’ were asked who they would prefer to shift, or other, similar questions. Nathan himself was made to shift Louise, Niamh, Ryan and, in an extremely awkward moment, Jack. Not even the copious amounts of alcohol he had consumed could dull the discomfort of that experience. On the plus side, he was able to watch as Ryan tried to hide his joy upon being dared to shift Aidan. Aisling and Michael, being the only two with boyfriends or girlfriends, were dared to do other tasks, such as stripping down or touching Aidan’s pecs. By the end of the party, all of the lads had been forced to go shirtless. Aidan himself had ended up naked at one point, before being dared to wear Ryan’s boxers. Louise and Ciara even swapped bras.

The party dragged on long into the night. They hardly paid any attention to Monobear’s Night Time announcement when it came. The celebration only came to an end when Alex, having drunk over his limit, fell unconscious. At that point, some of the students realised that they may have gone too far.

“Right!” Ryan exclaimed, attempting to clap his hands together and missing. “I think it’s time we all went to bed and dreaded the morning to come. Goodnight, lads!”

“Goodnight,” they all slurred.

Nathan staggered back to his room, fumbling with the lock on his door before he remembered his ID card. After swiping it through the mechanism, he practically fell through the doorway and tottered over to the bed. He stripped down to his bedclothes and lay down on the bed, trying desperately not to believe that the walls were spinning. Sleep came to him easily, but feverishly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, shift = french kiss.  
> Just in case that wasn't clear from the context.


	21. Chapter 3: The Light of the Mind - Part 5

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

That night, the dreams began.

Nathan was lying on his back, outdoors. He felt the cold, hard feel of the earth beneath, along with the tickling sensation of grass rubbing against the bare skin on his arms, legs and the back of his neck. The scent of freshly-mown lawns drifted to him in his relaxed state. Eventually, he became aware of people nearby. He turned his head to the side to see two teenagers, a boy and a girl, sitting next to him. They were laughing, that much was plain from their expressions and body language, but no sound seemed to be coming out. Their lips moved, but Nathan couldn’t hear anything they were saying. The more he studied their faces, the more he began to recognise them both. He knew now that the boy was Jack. That messy hair of his was fairly identifiable. And the girl…?

She glanced over at him, and Nathan’s heart leaped. It was Gráinne Mahon. She was sitting beside the Ultimate All-Rounder, clasping her hand in his, and laughing along with whatever he was joking about. As though she were still alive. As though she hadn’t been brutally murdered.

 _What is this place?_ Nathan wondered. But his body felt like he was swimming through an ocean of treacle. It was so difficult to even turn his head away from the couple and examine his surroundings. That was, until Jack jerked his head towards something in the distance, and Nathan felt his neck swivel automatically, so that he was looking in the direction Jack had indicated. Standing on a nearby hill, about two hundred metres away, was a large, towering building with a huge, iron gate. At the moment, the gates were open, and Nathan could see people streaming in and out of the entrance. They were all dressed identically, as were the three of them, he realised as he turned his head back to Jack and Gráinne. The building was so familiar...in fact, _all_ of this seemed uncomfortably familiar.

_What the hell’s going on?_

Jack turned his head to look at Nathan, and they made eye-contact. He opened his mouth to speak, and a loud, ugly voice came spilling out.

_“Good morning, you pathetic brats! It’s seven o’clock. That means it’s time to wake up and seize the day!”_

Nathan wrenched his eyes open and immediately wished he hadn’t. The ache in his head, the dull throbbing in his ears, the searing pain in his eyeballs, coupled with the sour taste in his mouth made him forget almost entirely about the strange dream. The last thing in the world he wanted to do was to leave his bed and go down for breakfast. His stomach roiled at the very thought of consuming food. After a few minutes of lying there, feeling incredibly sorry for himself, Nathan pushed himself up out of the bed and wobbled over to the bathroom.

He was not at all looking forward to the day ahead.

 

***

Alex’s eyes opened to a world of agony. He felt as though his head had been rammed repeatedly against a solid titanium wall, and the morning announcement hadn’t helped matters. There was a strong taste of bile on his tongue, and his stomach seemed wont to leap up out of his mouth.

What had happened to make him feel this way? Memories came flooding through his mind, flashes and bursts of what felt like a dream. Or a nightmare. He remembered little of the previous night, and what he _could_ recall made him want to forget.

He groaned, and almost immediately became aware of someone stirring beside him in the bed.

“You awake, Al?” a voice murmured in his ear.

Alex seized up in shock. “F-Fionn?”

The Ultimate Rugby Star yawned heavily. “Yeah…?”

“Wh-where am I? How…did I get here?” His voice sounded small and helpless in his own ears.

“Oh, right. You wouldn’t remember.” Fionn groaned as he slowly stretched out his tired body. “You fell asleep during the party. Well, more like you passed out. We decided to end the party then, so I carried you back here. To my room.”

“Ugh.” Alex remembered the party now, or most of it. He’d consumed more alcohol than he’d ever had before in his life, and had paid the price with his dignity. But the strongest memory of all – the one that had practically been seared into his mind – was the memory of pulling Fionn down to meet his lips, holding him close and savouring the feeling.

Alex inhaled sharply. “I kissed you.”

“That’s…one way of putting it, yeah,” Fionn muttered.

“I…I…” The physicist was at a complete loss for words.

Fionn’s voice, when he spoke again, was full of melancholy. “…If you want to forget about it, that’s fine. We were both drunk. _Really_ drunk. Weird things happened and that’s all there was.”

“N-no…” Alex shook his head. “I…I don’t regret it.” He paused. “It’s about the _only_ thing that I don’t regret about last night, but…”

“…You mean it?”

Alex took a while to respond. He’d spent so long trying to repress his emotions. Hadn’t his parents and teachers always told him to act calmly? To hold back when he felt like lashing out? Right now, his emotions were swirling beyond his control. But not because of anger or frustration. These feelings were something new, and frightening.

“I’ve…never done anything like this before,” he said eventually. “Never been this close to another human being. Never told anybody how I felt. And now, with things the way they are…it’s…”

“Complicated?"

“Yeah, that’s it. I was just getting used to the idea of having a friend at all when…last night happened. I suppose I never thought I’d find this sort of thing in a place like this.”

“Me neither, Al.”

“I…don’t know if I’m ready,” Alex admitted. “I’m…scared.” The thoughts that had been haunting him over the last few nights all came flooding back, and he shuddered.

Fionn breathed out slowly. “You’re not the only one. I’ve never had a boyfriend before, either. If you want to just relax and take it slowly, I can do that. I mean…” He grunted. “You mean a lot to me, Al.”

Alex finally rolled over to face him. “The feeling is mutual.”

Fionn chuckled softly at the Ultimate Physicist’s use of formal language, even at a time like this. He leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Alex’s mouth. With the rugby star’s body so close to his own, Alex became aware of how little clothing the other boy was wearing, of how much bare flesh was hidden only by a thin bedsheet. Thrilled, Alex moved in closer and the kiss deepened. When they eventually broke apart again, Alex grimaced.

“The others will be expecting us for breakfast, won’t they?”

Fionn nuzzled his forehead against Alex’s. “I doubt they’d mind if we were a few minutes late.”

Another kiss. Then another, and another.

“I suppose my breath probably tastes disgusting,” Alex grumbled.

But Fionn only grinned, and pulled the boy in closer. “To be honest, at this point, I couldn’t care less.”

 

*** 

 

When Nathan entered the refectory, he found he was one of the few people there. Apart from himself, only the Ultimate Vet, Model and Journalist were present for breakfast at the usual time. They all looked about as wretched as Nathan felt.

Michael saw the Ultimate Lucky Student coming in and smiled in greeting. “Good mornin’, Nathan!”

“G’morning,” Nathan mumbled back, searching around for a seat. He saw one of the refectory’s chairs lying on its side on the floor nearby.

“What happened to that poor chair?” he asked.

“What, _that_ one?” Michael blinked. “I dunno. It was like that when we got here.”

Nathan shrugged, before grabbing a different chair and pouring himself a bowl of cereal.

Michael wandered over to him. “Are you in the bits, then?”

Nathan nodded. “I feel miserable.”

Michael laughed. “You’ll get used to it.”

Nathan took note of the vet’s perpetual cheer. “ _You_ don’t seem too badly off.”

He shrugged. “I can’t let a bit of misery get me down. What kind of vet would I be, then?” He nodded towards the journalist, who was nearly falling asleep into her porridge. “Poor Louise is worse off than either of us, I’d say.”

Nathan frowned. “Why’d she even bother coming to breakfast at all if she’s so tired?”

Louise snorted, lurching up and glaring at the two of them with bloodshot eyes. “I’m the Ultimate Journalist,” she said grumpily. “I always have to meet deadlines.”

Michael smiled kindly at her. “If you say so.”

At that point, there was a distant crash from somewhere in the building.

Nathan’s head snapped up. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Michael peered quizzically at him.

“There was a noise just now. From somewhere in the school.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure you didn’t just imagine it?”

Nathan’s thoughts were interrupted when the doors swung open and Jack marched in. He was trying his hardest, but the pain and fatigue was still evident in the way he carried himself.

“Good morning, Jack,” Michael called.

The Ultimate All-Rounder muttered a reply as he sat down beside Nathan, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

Nathan was amused by his friend’s unusual lack of enthusiasm. “Sleep well?”

“I slept fine,” Jack responded. “It was the _waking-up_ part that was bad.”

Nathan snorted as Michael said, “At least you both had a good night.”

Jack sighed. “That’s true. We all enjoyed ourselves.” He eyed Nathan. “Some of us, more than others.”

The Ultimate Lucky Student shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

Michael sniggered. “I never knew you were such a randy bastard, Nathan.”

He scowled. “That’s…I’m not…” He angrily dismissed the vet with a wave of his hand. “I’m not even going to bother.”

“And you, Jack,” Michael went on. “Was there anybody in that circle who you _didn’t_ shift?”

Jack smiled wryly. “Yourself.”

Michael shook his head. “I didn’t get the shift at all. Neither did Aisling.”

At that moment, in a miracle of timing, the Ultimate Boxer burst into the refectory. Her face was paler than usual, and her eyes were as bleary as everyone else’s. Following her was Ciara who filed in silently. Nathan tried desperately not to make eye contact with either of them.

Eventually, after Ryan and Aidan staggered into the refectory at eight o’clock, nearly everyone had assembled once again.

Jack stood up. “I’d like to thank Ryan for organising last night’s big blowout. I feel that everyone really enjoyed themselves. So, thank you, Ryan!”

The Ultimate Dancer winced. “N-not so loud…please…”

Jack pretended as though he hadn’t spoken. “Let’s all give Ryan a big round of applause!”

“I fucking hate you, Jack Jones,” Ryan grumbled after the clapping – and the ringing in his ears – had ceased.

“Hang on,” Ciara said. “We’re forgetting some people.” She looked around. “Where’re Alex and Fionn?”

Aidan grinned. “Probably off ridin’. We should leave them alone.”

Niamh frowned. “Would they really skip breakfast because of that?”

But just then, against all the odds, the doors of the refectory swung open once again and in walked Fionn and Alex, hand-in-hand. They were both smiling and laughing, enjoying each other’s company as they approached the table.

Nathan muttered, “That’s the second time that’s happened today.”

“What’d you say, Nate?”

“Eh, nothing.”

“Good mornin’, lads!” Michael gave his usual greeting.

“Good morning!” they responded cheerily, ignoring the stifled snickering of several of their peers.

“Jack was just thankin’ Ryan for puttin’ the party together,” the vet explained for the two boys’ benefit. “Anythin’ else you want to say, Jack?”

He shook his head. “Not at all. I’ve said my part.”

“And thank Christ for _that_ ,” Ryan muttered.

Ciara had a sad smile etched on her face. “I wish we could do something like that again. It was such good _craic_.”

“We all had lots of fun,” Niamh said, nodding in agreement with the guitarist’s words.

“Well, don’t get used to it,” Aidan told them. “That booze was a present from Monobear. And I don’t fancy askin’ him for some more.”

Niamh sighed. “Me neither.”

Jack smiled. “Don’t worry, everyone. Once we get out of this place, we’ll have another party. _That_ one will make last night’s party look like a birthday barbecue by comparison.”

Despite himself, Nathan laughed. “Is that a promise?”

“It is.” Jack’s voice was filled with determination and hope.

Aidan shrugged. “Fair enough. I’ll drink to that.” He held up his glass, which was full of orange juice. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.” The word resounded around the table as everyone held up their cups and glasses, before downing their juices and milk.

Of all people, Nathan should have known it was too good to last.

When everyone brought down their glasses as one, there was a resounding clatter as they all collided with the surface of the table, causing Ciara to sit up suddenly in her seat.

“Wait a minute,” she said. “I forgot to tell you. There was a loud noise from upstairs just a few minutes ago.”

Nathan’s breath hitched in his throat. “You heard that, too?” He was so taken aback by what she had said that he’d temporarily forgotten he was trying to avoid her.

“Myself and Aisling were on our way out of our rooms when we heard this loud crash from up above,” Ciara explained.

Everyone froze.

“What was it?” Louise asked.

Alex’s face had resumed its characteristic frown. If possible, it was even deeper than the usual fare. “Could it be…?”

Fionn saw the anxiety written on his boyfriend’s expression. “It _can’t_ be. All of us are here.”

“No,” Niamh said, her voice scarcely more than a whisper. “Not _all_ of us.”

Louise realised immediately the implications of the model’s words. “Orlagh,” she hissed.

“Fuck,” Fionn breathed, his eyes growing wide. “I’d completely forgotten about her.”

“We were so caught up in the excitement that we didn’t remember her,” Jack said, his voice having gained an uncertain edge. “Where did that noise come from?”

“The upper floors,” Ciara answered. “It sounded really far-away.”

The refectory was filled with the sound of chairs being pushed back, scraping angrily against the tiled floor.

“We’ll need to search the building,” Jack told everyone. “The way we did it yesterday.”

“Not a chance,” Nathan cut him off. “It’s not safe. We all need to group up and stay together.”

“I agree with Nathan,” Niamh said.

“Me too,” Ciara exclaimed, causing the Ultimate Lucky Student’s face to briefly flush with colour.

“Wouldn’t we be able to cover a wider area if we split up?” Ryan asked.

“We don’t _need_ to search a wide area,” Alex said. “Given that Ciara has already pinpointed the source of the noise to one of the upper floors.”

“Then we’d better hurry the fuck up.” Fionn jerked his head towards the doors. “Come on!”

 

*** 

 

They raced through the building as quickly as they could. The students’ speed was hindered, though, by their numbers. Eleven teenagers could only move so fast when they were sticking together. Regardless, they practically sprinted up the stairs until they reached the second floor.

“Ciara,” Jack called for the Ultimate Guitarist. “You said it came from the ‘upper floors’, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” she replied. “But, looking at it now, I’m not too sure it could’ve come from this floor. It was too far away, the noise.”

“How can you be sure?” Louise asked her.

“I’m a musician,” Ciara reminded her. “I have a good ear for sounds.”

“Then, could you tell us _exactly_ where the noise came from?” Nathan asked her, without looking back at her.

“Y-yeah…” She paused for thought. “It must’ve come from the second floor, up above us, but I’m not really familiar with that place. The sound kind of echoed a bit, so…is there any chance that there’s a kind of long hallway up there?”

Jack shared a look with Nathan. “As a matter of fact, Ciara, there is. Follow us.”

The all-rounder, with Nathan by his side, led the group up the next flight of stairs. Upon reaching the landing, they turned left and ran towards the corridor full of classrooms.

They didn’t have to run far.

Roughly a quarter of the way down the corridor, the students caught sight of two unique shapes lying on the floor. Upon approaching the bizarre shapes, their features became distinct. One of the shapes was a reddened iron pipe, abandoned out in the middle of the hallway. But it was the second, larger shape that caught everyone’s attention, and held it. Several of the teenagers let out cries and gasps of horror as Orlagh McNamara’s face came into view. The Ultimate Gaeilgeoir was lying on her back, crumpled in a heap in the middle of the hallway, drenched in a pool of thick, red liquid.

“No…” Jack trembled.

Nathan was silently shaking his head, disbelief quickly giving way to shock and misery. And with those two feelings came another, more potent one.

“It’s…happened again,” Nathan whispered, amidst the strangled sobs of his trusted friends. “A third murder.”

The feeling spread upwards from his extremities, reaching towards his heart. It was a cold, numbing feeling, deeper and darker than the seas of hell.

_Despair._


	22. Chapter 3: The Light of the Mind - Part 6

_Laethanta Mínormálta_  -  Abnormal Days

No sooner had they registered the fact that the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir lay dead on the floor before them than Monobear’s cheery voice blared out from a nearby loudspeaker.

_“Attention, all students! A dead body has just been discovered! Everyone may proceed with the investigation until the school trial begins, in several hours’ time. Happy hunting!”_

Fionn hissed under his breath. “God dammit…”

From next to him, Alex had shut his eyes tightly. After a few, long seconds, he opened them again, and something had changed in his expression. “We’ll need to carry out the investigation once more.” The physicist’s usual, serious frown had returned.

Ciara stepped forward. “I think Alex is right. We can’t let ourselves give in to despair.”

Jack nodded, steeling himself for the tasks ahead. “For the sake of our own lives, we need to solve this mystery. Together.”

Nathan viewed the all-rounder out of the corner of his eye. “…Is now really the time for such a corny speech?”

“I’m serious,” Jack vowed. “We won’t let the mastermind win this time, either.”

“It’s not the _mastermind_ who did this, Jack,” Nathan pointed out.

“Regardless, we need to find out who murdered Orlagh. Are you with me, or what?”

Nathan sighed. “Of _course_ I’m with you. You didn’t think I’d turn against you now, did you?”

“Well, it was hard to tell,” Jack said, with a smirk playing on his lips. “You sounded so bitter there, for a moment…”

“I _always_ sound bitter. You know how much I-”

“Stop bickering,” Alex commanded, shutting the two of them up immediately. “As ever, I expect you both to act professionally. We shall conduct this investigation in the usual manner.” He turned to face the students. “I’ll need two people to watch over the crime scene.”

“You know I’ll do it, Al,” Fionn said.

“And I will, too,” Louise added.

“Eh, Alex?” Niamh called. “I…could I…assist your investigation?”

“How so?”

“I want to examine the body. Two heads are greater than one, as they say.”

Alex folded his arms. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“…Very well. You may act as my assistant in this case.”

“I’ll search the bedrooms, then,” Nathan said, weariness evident in his tone. “Everyone who left their door locked should come with me.”

“And the rest are coming with me,” Jack told them. “We have a lot of ground to cover during this investigation, so I’ll need everyone to move quickly.”

There was a quiet chorus of assent as the group split up, joining behind whichever leader they had been assigned to, before marching off down the corridor and leaving only four people behind with the corpse.

In the ensuing silence, Alex remained still. Thoughts whirled through his head, calculations were performed in the blink of an eye. He was only brought out of his thoughts when there was a small _beep_ from his pocket.

“The Monobear File,” Fionn muttered as he pulled out his own ID card. “It says, ‘ _the victim is Orlagh McNamara. She was killed by a sudden blow to the cranium with a blunt object. Death was instantaneous. The victim suffered no other serious injuries._ ’” He paused, a frown creasing his forehead. “That’s…all it says.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “There nothing about the time of death? Or the murder weapon?”

“Nothing.”

“Curious,” Louise murmured. “Although, I think the murder weapon in this case may be rather obvious.”

She pointed to the bloody pipe that was lying on the floor, next to the victim’s body.

“Hmmm…” Alex crept over to the pipe, picking it up with his hand and examining it closely. It was relatively heavy, but not entirely difficult to swing, he reflected. And it was coated thickly with blood, being sticky to the touch.

Next, he examined the body with Niamh. Orlagh was lying face-up, with her eyes shut and her face a frozen mask of shock. The fatal wound was atop the crown of her head, just as explained in the Monobear File. The wound was a gruesome one, with dried blood matting the Gaeilgeoir’s hair. In a move that made the model’s stomach lurch, Alex had to sift through the victim’s hair, moving the strands apart, in order to fully examine the injury. When the wound was exposed, the two of them could clearly see the extent of the injury: Orlagh’s skull had been cracked and caved in by the fatal blow. Shards of bone poked out from beneath her scalp.

Niamh recoiled.

“Are you alright?” Fionn asked her.

She swallowed deeply, before nodding. “I’m fine.” She had to persevere. “I’ll examine the rest of the body, now.”

“Do,” Alex told her. “I need to ensure that the wound is consistent with the pipe.” He took the pipe and began comparing it to the victim’s head wound.

Meanwhile, Niamh scanned Orlagh’s body from top to bottom, but found no other injuries, as had been stated in the Monobear File. The Gaeilgeoir’s blouse and skirt had been badly stained by the blood that pooled around her, stemming from the fatal wound. By this point, however, most of the blood had dried. Niamh frowned. There was something off about that.

And there were strange markings in the blood, as well. Two identical, parallel lines led away from the pool of blood, trailing off after a few inches. Had something been dragged along the floor?

“The weapon matches up,” Alex declared suddenly, removing the pipe from the wound.

“Then it must be the thing that killed her,” Fionn said.

“I believe so, too,” Alex agreed.

Temporarily filing that information away, Niamh’s eyes spotted something unusual: a stained piece of paper lying hidden in the pool of blood, just next to Orlagh’s leg.

“I found something,” she called out, picking up the paper and unfolding it. The piece of paper had been crumpled up and coated with blood, but the words written on it were still legible.

_Dear Genocide Jack,_

_I’ll be waiting for you in the second floor corridor. I have something important to give you. If you do not appear, then I will hunt you down and kill you._

After she had read it twice over, she handed the note to the physicist, whose eyes quickly scanned its contents.

“Odd,” he murmured.

“What’s odd?” Louise asked.

“This note makes reference to Genocide Jack.”

Fionn blinked. “Have we heard that name before?”

Louise nodded. “Of course. Orlagh was calling herself by that name before her death. Her latest delusion.”

Niamh was deep in thought. “But why would the killer call her by that name? And why did they threaten to kill her if she didn’t meet with them, only to murder her _anyway_?”

“That’s assuming that the killer wrote this note,” Alex pointed out. “We shouldn’t jump to conclusions.”

Fionn breathed out a puff of air, leaning back against one of the classroom doors. There was a sudden clatter of something falling and hitting the floor, causing the Ultimate Rugby Star to leap away from the door.

“What happened?” Niamh asked.

“I don’t know!” Fionn cried. “I didn’t do anything!”

“Something came off the door,” Louise noted, pointing to the floor near Fionn’s feet.

The rugby player bent over and picked it up, staring closely at it.

“It’s the doorknob,” he said after a moment. “It just fell off when I leaned against it.”

“…Try checking the other doorknobs,” Alex ordered him. “They may be in a similar state.”

Sure enough, the door directly across the corridor also had a loose doorknob. A few seconds of Fionn fiddling with the handle caused it to break off in his hand. He moved along the corridor, pulling at each and every doorknob as he went. But none of them came off, no matter how hard he tugged. As he was walking back towards the body, his foot kicked against something small that had been lying on the floor, sending it skittering away.

“There’s something else over here,” Fionn cried, as he picked up the strange object. It was some sort of tape recorder, clearly. There were numbers on a digital screen, ticking slowly upwards with each passing second.

Alex gave up his investigation of the corpse to study the object that Fionn had discovered. “Yes, I recognise this. It’s an audio recording device, like a Dictaphone. And it’s playing an audio track right now.” He pressed a small button on the contraption’s side, and the numbers stopped ticking. “I paused it,” he explained. “I don’t know how long this track goes on for.”

“But there was no sound coming out,” Fionn observed. “What’s the point of having a silent track that goes on for…?” He read the screen. “ _Twenty hours?!_ ”

“That’s correct,” Alex said, upon double-checking the timer himself. “There must be some purpose behind this.”

“But, what does all of this mean?” Niamh asked the Ultimate Physicist.

He pushed up the bridge of his glasses and said, “I don’t know. Not yet, anyway.”

“Curiouser and curiouser,” Louise said, mostly to herself.

 

*** 

 

“Did you find anything?” Jack asked her.

“Nothing yet,” Aisling replied. “I’ll keep looking.”

“Right.”

He was standing in the middle of the foyer, with Ryan. Together with Aisling and Ciara, they were scouring the ground floor for any trace of evidence they could find. Nathan, with Aidan and Michael, had the bedrooms covered. Since the investigation’s start, the four of them had searched the refectory, the lounge and the majority of the floor, and found only a chair with a missing leg. It wasn’t much to go on.

“We need to keep at it,” Jack muttered, chanting the words like a mantra. “We need to keep looking.”

“Everything alright there, Jack?” Ryan asked.

“I’m just trying to think of anywhere we haven’t looked yet,” he responded.

“Well…” Ryan paused in thought. “There’s the warehouse, near the pool. We haven’t checked there.”

“The girls are already over there, at the moment,” Jack reminded him. “And even so, we can’t actually get into the warehouse.”

“Right, yeah.” Ryan pouted. “What about the medical office?”

Jack blinked. “What medical office?”

Ryan pointed down one of the corridors that winded away from the foyer. “There’s a medical office just over there, across the hall from the secretary’s office. We’ve never had any need to use it, thank God.”

Jack bristled. He’d completely forgotten that place had even existed. He now recalled Alex, Fionn and Aisling discovering the medical office on the first day, nearly two weeks ago. It hadn’t been a critical part of the previous investigations, but who was to say it wouldn’t be one _now_?

“Let’s go,” Jack said to the dancer, who shrugged and followed after him.

The interior of the medical office was small. Cramped, even. The walls were packed from top to bottom with shelves upon shelves of medical equipment, leaving a tiny, open space in the centre for a bed and desk, complete with chair.

“It stinks in here,” Ryan commented. “Smells like dust and old women and...something else.”

“Stop griping,” Jack ordered, “and look around. There may be a clue or two lurking about.”

Ryan muttered under his breath.

Jack examined a roll of elastic bands. Unlike the small things found at home, these elastic bands were lengthy and thick, approximately as wide as one of Jack’s arms.

“Hey, Ryan,” he called. “What are these?”

“Hmm? Oh, those are called ‘resistance bands’. They’re used for physiotherapy,” Ryan explained. “Didn’t you know?”

“…No. I didn’t.”

“Oh. Well, people with muscle injuries and stuff like that use them. They start off using thin bands and, when they’ve healed a little bit, start using the thick ones.”

“I see…” Jack made note of one of the resistance bands that seemed to be slightly longer than the others. He pulled it out, and it dangled almost down to the floor. The middle of the band, he noticed, had stretch marks on it, from being strained. By overuse, maybe? But who here had been using the resistance bands?

“Eh…Jack?”

Jack peered over at the Ultimate Dancer, who was studiously examining a rack full of medicine balls.

“What is it?”

“Have a look at this.”

Jack wandered over to the rack, where Ryan was indicating a particular ball.

“See this medicine ball?”

“Yeah, what about it?” Jack asked.

“Looks alright, doesn’t it?”

“Where are you going with this?”

Ryan spun the medicine ball so that its opposite side was facing them. Jack choked. The other side was plastered with a thick layer of blood and gore. Ryan gagged, turning the ball away from them again.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” he mumbled, trembling slightly.

“How did you know there was blood on it?”

“I could smell it,” Ryan hissed. “The minute we came in. But, I didn’t think it was going to be _that_ bad…”

“Jesus Christ…” Jack shook his head. “Regardless, I’m sure that this will be important evidence in the trial. We have to take it with us.”

Ryan lurched away. “I’m not touching that yoke! _You_ take it!”

Jack grumbled, picking up the medicine ball and being surprised by its weight; the side of the ball that indicated its mass was obscured by the blood.

“Right,” the all-rounder said. “We’re running low on time. We’d better get a move on and search the other floors.”

Ryan was thrilled to be leaving this dusty place behind. “Yeah, cheers.”

 

*** 

 

Nathan met Jack and Ryan as he was coming out of the dormitory area, with Aidan and Michael in tow.

“Did youse find anything?” Jack asked them.

Nathan shook his head. “Nothing there that we hadn’t seen before. And there wasn’t anything that stood out to us, either.”

“We’re fucked,” Aidan helpfully supplied.

“We’re _not_ fucked,” Jack said firmly. “There are still two more floors that we haven’t fully investigated yet. Don’t lose hope now.”

“Myself and Jack found some serious evidence in the medical office, as well,” Ryan told them. “We might make it through the trial, at the end of the day.”

“I hope you’re right,” Nathan said.

Jack smiled at the Ultimate Lucky Student’s choice of words.

 

*** 

 

“Slow down,” Ciara yelled down the corridor. “You’re going to miss something if you’re not careful.”

Aisling didn’t even look back at the guitarist. “I don’t care! The trial’s going to start in a little while, and we haven’t even started exploring this floor yet!”

Ciara rolled her eyes. It would be just typical for the boxer to trip over something.

Ciara saw Aisling round a corner ahead. There was a sudden yelp, and Ciara sprinted after her.

“What happened?” she asked, as she turned the corner, only to see the Ultimate Boxer sprawled out along the floor.

“I tripped over something!” Aisling cried, pointing to a black, wooden box lying next to her on the floor. “Someone just left this… _thing_ out in the hall.”

“That’s weird. I never saw that thing the last time I came up here.”

Ciara studied the strange box. It had two, small clasps on its front that seemed to be designed to open the box. She attempted to pick up the box, but gasped upon discovering just how heavy it really was. Giving up, she had to crouch down low to open the clasps. She pushed the lid of the box open, to reveal…

Aisling crawled over to where the guitarist was staring into the box. She followed her gaze, gaping at what she saw.

“It’s _empty_? That must be a fucking heavy box!” she cried.

“It _is_ fucking heavy,” Ciara muttered. “So why was it left out in the middle of nowhere like this?”

“Maybe they couldn’t be bothered to carry it all the way?”

Ciara tilted her head. “Who?”

Aisling blinked. “Huh? Oh, I dunno. Whoever moved the box, I suppose.”

Aisling made a valiant attempt to lift the black box herself. She felt her arms strain as she heaved the box up over her head, only to cry out as her shoulders twinged in pain. She dropped the box as gently as she could.

“I can’t carry that downstairs,” the boxer gasped. “I’m not strong enough.” The words had a bitter taste, and she spat them out as though they were poisonous.

Ciara put a hand on the other girl’s shoulder. “Don’t let it annoy you. I doubt even Fionn could carry that all the way down to the foyer.”

Aisling still had a pout on her face when an irritatingly familiar voice came from somewhere nearby.

“Did somebody order a big, strong, macho _bear_?!”

The girls backed away as Monobear appeared on the scene, engaging in his trademark laugh.

“Upupupu! You’re right! Even the Ultimate Rugby Star himself couldn’t carry that box all the way downstairs by himself.” The toothy side of his mouth widened into a feral grin. “But _I_ can! Watch and learn, ladies!”

Monobear stomped his feet up and down, clapped his hands together and hollered in some foreign tongue. _“Ka mate, ka mate! Ka ora, ka ora! Tenei te tangata puhuruhuru! Nana nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te ra!”_

The box disappeared.

“How…did you do that?” Ciara asked, while Aisling spluttered incoherently.

“Upupu! Never underestimate a bear with a box!” And with that, Monobear, too, was gone.

“…I…have no idea what the hell just happened,” Aisling said.

“Me neither.”

Just then, the girls jumped as they heard Monobear’s voice again. They feared he had come back to make life difficult for them, but there was no sign of the freakish bear to be seen. Once they actually listened to what Monobear was saying, they quickly realised what was going on.

_“Alllllright, boys and girls! That’s enough investigating! Get your arses down to the entrance hall, ASAP!”_

Aisling’s eyes widened. “No way…”

“The trial’s starting already?” Ciara’s stomach fluttered with the beginnings of fear. “But…all we found was an empty box.”

“An empty box with blood on the bottom,” Aisling pointed out.”

“Yeah, it…what?” Ciara’s head snapped towards the other girl. “What did you just say?”

“There was blood on the bottom of that box. When I put it back down on the floor, it was the other way up from when we’d first found it. I saw these weird, reddish markings on it.”

“I never noticed that!” Ciara exclaimed.

“Well, it was a bit hard to see them. The box was such a dark colour, so…”

Ciara sighed. “None of this matters anymore. Monobear went off with that box to God-knows-where. How are we going to explain this to the rest of the lads?”

But as the girls made their way back downstairs, they realised that the others would likely have more important things on their minds.

 

*** 

 

The foyer was filled with loud, panicked discussion as the students scurried back and forth, sharing whatever information they had acquired in the short space of time allocated to them. When Ciara and Aisling came sprinting into the hall, a touch out of breath, the back wall immediately split open in its usual fashion. The darkness beyond the wall seemed to beckon them inside, inviting them down into the abyss. Jack took a deep breath and stepped forward and downward. The rest of the students followed.

Nathan had never felt more confused or disorientated before going into one of the school trials than he did at that moment. The dank walls on either side of the stairs seemed to close in, leaving him trapped and claustrophobic. His breathing intensified. His head began to swim. The steps seemed to tilt beneath him, and he stumbled.

A hand caught him by the arm, and he rightened himself. He turned around to thank his saviour, but the expression of gratitude came out as a stammer when he saw Ciara clutching tightly to his arm, with an expression of concern.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

He nodded hurriedly, and she reluctantly let go of his arm. “Th-thanks,” he mumbled. It wasn’t like him to have a panic attack, even at a time like this.

Soon, the entrance to the courtroom came into view. Jack, who was still at the head of the group, pushed through the doors and into the room of despair.

As always, the others followed.


	23. Chapter 3: The Light of the Mind - Part 7

_Triail na Scoile_ -  School Trial

Once again, the students noticed how the courtroom had changed. On top of there now being two new podiums (one with a drawing of two hurls in the shape of an ‘X’ on Seán’s picture), the grotesque murals were gone; the chamber’s walls had now been covered in ugly, steel girders and iron bars, spiralling upwards. At the very top of the chamber was a giant, rotating fan, complete with deadly-looking blades. An ominous, dim light source lay beyond the fan, so that shadows spun wickedly around the courtroom.

Gazing up at the ceiling as he stepped up to his podium, Nathan realised that the design of the room was all very familiar somehow…

“I’ve seen this before,” he murmured.

“Yeah, me too,” Jack said, from beside him. “It looks like…something out of a film.”

“It’s from _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_ ,” Fionn said, gaping up at the dangerous fan. “D’you remember the bit where they drank a fizzy drink, and it made them float up towards a fan?”

Aisling nodded, smiling happily at the nostalgia. “And they had to burp to get down! I remember that!”

“Wasn’t the film actually called _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_?” Niamh asked.

“Who cares?” Ryan said. “I love that film!”

“You do?!” Monobear cried in disbelief. “That’s, like, my _favourite_ movie, you guys!”

Michael blinked. “Is it, really?”

“But, that film’s so cutesy and fun,” Aisling said. “That’s the exact _opposite_ of you.”

Monobear tutted. “You dumbasses don’t get that film at _all_! Allow me to explain: a group of children end up trapped inside a twisted funhouse, held captive (often against their will) by an eccentric mastermind who wants them all to get what they really deserve! And then he starts getting rid of them in disturbing and nightmarish ways!” Monobear chuckled. “Upupupu! Is there anything more despair-inducing than that?! That movie is such an inspiration to me, folks. You have _no_ idea!”

“That’s a fucked-up way of lookin’ at it,” Aidan snarked.

“Anyway,” Monobear declared, “it’s time for the third school trial to begin. Who killed Orlagh McNamara? And who will walk out of this courtroom alive? Upupu…I can’t wait to find out!”

Once he was certain that Monobear had finished pontificating, Alex spoke up. “As you all know, the victim in this case was the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir, Orlagh McNamara. She was struck on the top of her head with a blunt object, killing her instantly.” He raised an eyebrow. “Does anybody have any theories?”

As soon as Louise had finished notating the last few words from the physicist, she said, “The murder weapon is likely the metal pipe found at the scene of the crime.”

Fionn nodded. “The one lying next to the body.”

“The wound is consistent with an attack from an object such as the pipe,” Alex said. “The assumption that said pipe is the murder weapon is a valid one.”

Ryan rested his arms on the podium in front of him. “So, the question is, where did the pipe come from?”

“Did anybody find anything that could provide an answer?” Alex asked.

As the students all fell silent, deep in thought, it was Nathan who remembered something odd. “There was a chair in the refectory that had a missing leg, wasn’t there?”

Jack and Ryan nodded.

“Yeah, we saw that,” Jack said. “D’you think the metal pipe is the missing chair leg?”

“It’s about the same size,” Michael pointed out.

“Can those legs just be removed like that, though?” Aisling asked.

“…Well, Monobear?” Alex turned around to face the principal on his throne.

Monobear’s head swivelled to the left, as though he was tilting it curiously. “Huh? You wanna know if the chairs’ legs are detachable?” He grinned. “Of course! Just take a screwdriver to them and the whole thing comes off! I designed the chairs in the refectory with murder in mind!”

The students winced collectively.

Jack swallowed. “Well…I suppose that solves _that_ mystery.”

“So, what?” Aidan frowned. “Did the killer just walk up to Orlagh and give her a clatter on the head?”

“The wound _was_ on the very top of her head,” Niamh said, recalling the gruesome state of Orlagh’s body. “Not at the back, or the front. It was quite close to the centre of her cranium.”

Ciara’s eyes widened. “I see what you’re saying. The murderer was probably someone taller than her. Who else would’ve been able to reach, even with that chair leg?”

“Orlagh is…she _was_ a fairly tall girl,” Ryan commented. “There aren’t many here who are taller than her.”

“Those people are probably our prime suspects,” Aisling said, her eyes flickering from one tall person to another.

Fionn raised his arms in surrender. “Whoa, hold on! Isn’t that just a guess? We don’t know for sure if the killer actually was taller than her.”

“You’re actin’ a bit defensive, there, Fionn,” Aidan muttered.

The Ultimate Rugby Star stiffened.

“Calm down,” Alex said. “We don’t have all the facts in front of us just yet. There’s no sense in jumping to conclusions.”

Aidan held back a biting comment. “What else do we know, so?” he asked instead.

Niamh pulled out a blood-soaked piece of paper. “This was found in the pool of blood next to Orlagh.” She ignored Ryan’s shuddering. “It’s a message from somebody.” She unfurled the paper and read aloud. “ _Dear Genocide Jack, I’ll be waiting for you in the second floor corridor. I have something important to give you. If you do not appear, then I will hunt you down and kill you.”_

“What the hell?” Ciara murmured. “Isn’t Genocide Jack that serial killer from Japan?”

“And Orlagh thought she was them,” Michael said. “She tried to attack the lads with scissors, too.”

Nathan was puzzled. “Why would the killer, or whoever wrote this message, refer to her by that name?”

“Maybe Orlagh wrote it herself?” Aisling suggested.

“And threatened to kill herself?” Jack shook his head. “She wasn’t _that_ delusional. I don’t think Orlagh would’ve wanted to die. If she did, she wouldn’t have followed the message’s instructions.”

Michael sighed. “This is confusin’. What other evidence do we have?”

“This,” Alex said, producing a strange machine and laying it atop his podium, “was found at the crime scene. It’s an audio recording device.”

“Like a tape recorder?” Ciara asked.

“Precisely.”

“It was playing a track when we found it,” Niamh explained. “Apparently, it was a track that lasted over twenty hours. From what we heard, it was completely silent.”

“Fantastic,” Nathan muttered. “ _More_ unexplainable evidence.”

“There must be a reason why that device was left at the crime scene,” Jack said. “Let’s skip it for now. Ryan and I went searching, and we found some interesting clues in the medical office.”

Nathan glanced at the all-rounder. “Medical office?” he repeated. He’d never even known there _was_ one.

“There was a resistance band there that had been stretched beyond its limit,” Jack went on. “And a medicine ball that had been covered in blood.”

He reached down and produced the items he had mentioned, as though from nowhere.

“Wh-where did you hide those?!” Michael croaked.

“Monobear took them off my hands. He told me he’d give them back to me during the trial.”

“Oh!” Aisling exclaimed. “We found something that Monobear took from us, as well!” On cue, the ‘something’ appeared at her feet, having been summoned by Monobear himself.

“That’s right,” Ciara said. “We found this really heavy wooden box. There were traces of blood on the bottom.”

“What was inside it?” Jack asked.

“Nothing.” Aisling threw her hands up. “It was just _really_ heavy.”

“Ah!” Niamh cried, all of a sudden. “There was evidence of something being dragged away from the crime scene. If there was blood on the bottom of that box…”

Nathan nodded. “Then it was probably at the crime scene.”

“But what does that _mean_?” Fionn asked, kneading his forehead. “We have all this weird, unrelated evidence that isn’t leading us anywhere.”

Alex glanced sympathetically at his boyfriend. “There were other peculiarities at the crime scene,” he told everyone.

“Like what?” Ciara asked.

“All of the blood was dried in,” Niamh answered for Alex. “Even though the murder occurred around eight o’clock, the blood had already dried when we arrived on the scene a few minutes later.”

Jack and Nathan’s minds were set alight by the model’s words.

“So, what you’re saying is,” Nathan said, “we might have gotten the time of the murder wrong?”

“But I heard that loud noise around eight,” Ciara protested. “That had to have been when the murder happened.”

Jack glanced over at the Ultimate Physicist. “I’m curious about that recording device. At what time did you find it?”

“Shortly after we found the body,” Alex answered. “According to my watch, it was approximately 8:20.”

“And what is the time on the track?”

Alex read the screen. “…Thirty-two hours, nineteen minutes and fifty-one seconds.”

“So,” Nathan said, realisation dawning, “it would’ve just gone thirty-two hours at eight o’clock.”

“Try rewinding it to that point,” Jack told the physicist. “I have an idea.”

Alex looked sceptically at the Ultimate All-Rounder, but did as he was ordered. After a few adjustments to the time on the track, Alex’s thumb pressed the play button. Once again, the only thing that issued from the device was silence.

Alex pressed his ear briefly against the speaker. “Nothing. Not even any white noise.” He sighed and placed the device back down on his podium. “Well, Jack? Are you going to tell us-?”

Before Alex could finish the question, a blast of sound erupted from the recording device. The gathered students all jumped, some of them crying out in fright.

“What the fuck?!” Ryan shouted. “That scared the shit out of me!”

Despite the ringing in his ears, Jack smiled. “That confirms my suspicions. That loud noise we just heard was set up to go off at eight o’clock.”

Nathan followed up on Jack’s explanation. “In other words, the murder didn’t occur at that time.”

“So…when _was_ Orlagh killed?” Michael asked.

Fionn made eye contact with Ryan, and a mutual understanding passed between them.

“We might have an idea,” the dancer said. “Myself, Fionn and Aidan were out swimming late the night before the party. Just as we were heading back to the dormitories, we heard a loud _crash_ from upstairs. We didn’t want to go up by ourselves, so we decided we’d tell you all in the morning…”

“But we forgot,” Aidan admitted.

“That sound from the recording just now sounded just like it,” Fionn said quickly, before anyone could tell them off for forgetting something so important.

“Oh, really?” Jack looked at each of the three of them in turn. “What time did this happen at?”

“We got out of the pool just before eleven,” Ryan said. “We didn’t want to leave it too late.”

Niamh gasped. “That’s thirty-three hours before the sound was heard this morning!”

“That adds up…doesn’t it?” Fionn muttered hopefully.

“It’s not exactly ‘concrete evidence’,” Nathan said darkly.

Jack gritted his teeth in frustration. “But if the murder happened at eleven o’clock, two nights ago, and the killer set the tape recorder up an hour later, then it would coincide with what Ciara heard. It _has_ to be true.”

“Just because something ‘has’ to be true doesn’t mean it actually _is_ ,” Nathan pointed out. “We need more proof before we can conclude anything.”

The courtroom fell silent, unsure of where to turn next. It wasn’t until Monobear let out a not-so-subtle cough that they all realised that they needed to carry on, regardless.

“Let’s retreat from this line of thought for now,” Alex advised. “What else remains unclear about this case?”

“What about that medicine ball, Jack?” Ryan asked. “The one we found in the medical office.”

Jack hoisted up the object in question from its spot on the floor near his feet.

Ryan flinched. “…That’s the one.”

“You want to know why it’s covered in blood, I presume,” the all-rounder stated. “I believe I already have the answer.”

Michael regarded the medicine ball warily. “You don’t reckon it’s…the murder weapon, do you?”

His words caused a stir in the chamber. The confused whisperings only intensified once Jack voiced his idea.

“Yes,” he said, “I do.”

“But…what about the chair leg?” Ciara asked. “That was left at the crime scene, wasn’t it? Shouldn’t that mean it was the murder weapon?”

“And covered in blood, yes.” Louise lifted her gaze to stare impassively at the Ultimate Guitarist. “Wouldn’t you say that was a bit _too_ obvious? Especially for a killer who has proven him-or-herself to be quite formidable, given how inconclusive the evidence has been thus far?”

Ciara hesitated, not enjoying being under the Ultimate Journalist’s scrutiny. “W-well…”

Nathan spoke up. “The chair leg, taken from the refectory, is a red herring mean to distract us from the _true_ murder weapon.”

Aidan grinned. “I love that phrase: ‘red herring’.”

He was largely ignored.

“The medicine ball was hidden away where the culprit didn’t think we’d ever look,” Jack said. “While the fake weapon was in plain view of everyone who visited the crime scene.”

“There’s something else, too,” Niamh said, in a low voice. “I saw Orlagh’s wound for myself. It was…horrible. There were chunks of blood and gore, skull fragments, all that sort of thing. But the chair leg only had blood on it. Nothing else.”

Jack rotated the medicine ball for all to see. “This, on the other hand, is covered in gore. It’s more likely that the killer just covered the chair leg in blood themselves. In which case, _this_ is the real murder weapon.”

“And they couldn’t clean the ball,” Nathan said, “for the same reason as the previous two murderers; the water doesn’t run at night. I’ll admit that it adds plausibility to Jack’s theory: the water would’ve been running at eight o’clock.”

“But…what does that prove?” Aisling asked. “We know now that the chair leg isn’t the murder weapon, but what else do we know? We still have no clue who the killer might be.”

Louise looked up once more from her notepad. “As a matter of fact, I may have some knowledge of the killer’s identity.”

Jack frowned. “Do you?”

“Yes, I do.” And she raised her free hand, and pointed it at Ciara.

“Ciara Maguire,” she announced, “ _you_ killed Orlagh!”

The Ultimate Guitarist’s mouth dropped open into a perfect ‘O’, and she nearly stumbled backwards off of the podium.

“M-me?!” she choked. “Wh-why?! How…how could _I_ be the murderer?!”

“It’s simple,” the journalist said, glaring intensely at her. “You knew too much. For instance, you claimed to have heard the noise that drew everyone’s attention to the killing. Then, you managed to pinpoint the _exact_ location of the crime scene, just from hearing a distant sound. I don’t see how anybody could have done that without knowing where the crime scene was beforehand.”

Ciara’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly.

Nathan leaped to the girl’s defence. “B-but she’s the Ultimate Guitarist! It makes sense that she’d have sensitive ears, wouldn’t it? She could’ve told where that sound came from. She _definitely_ could’ve.”

Louise scrawled Nathan’s argument down angrily. “And what’s more!” she crowed, choosing to ignore the Ultimate Lucky Student’s words even as she wrote them. “She’s been leading us towards the conclusions she desires! An example: she told us that the murder ‘had to have happened’ at eight o’clock, at which time she would have a solid alibi. She also stuck firmly to the claim that the detached chair leg was the murder weapon.”

“ _Anybody_ could’ve said those things!” Nathan snapped. “That doesn’t prove that she’s the killer!”

He saw everyone sharing strange glances with each other. He caught the implication immediately: they thought he was only defending Ciara because he fancied her.

_But isn’t that true?_

He grimaced. He knew the guitarist was innocent. He was certain. But how could he prove it?

“Unless you have decisive evidence that proves Ciara is the culprit, we have no reason to believe you,” Nathan told Louise, with no small amount of frustration in his voice.

“But…” Aidan wouldn’t look up from his podium as he spoke. “You _do_ have to admit she’s been actin’ a bit…suspicious.”

“Is…that what you all think?” Ciara asked, her voice a hoarse whisper. “You don’t trust me?”

Ryan’s hand, which had been gripping the front of his podium, clenched tightly. “It’s not like that! We want to trust you…but, you heard what Louise said. We have reason to doubt you.” He turned his face downwards, so that no one could see the guilt and frustration in his expression. “I’m sorry.”

Ciara trembled and sniffled. Tears were spilling one-by-one out of her eyes. She, too, would no longer look up from her podium.

Nathan wanted to say something, _anything_. But, as the agonising seconds ticked by, his doubts also began to grow. How was he _sure_ that she wasn’t the culprit? The insidious thoughts made him feel sick to his stomach, and only made it more difficult for him to speak up.

Fortunately, Fionn spoke instead. “Hold on a second. I’m not one to judge, or anything…but would Ciara really be able to whack Orlagh on the head with that big medicine ball? I don’t know if she’d be, well, _strong_ enough.”

Louise tutted. “Taking the chauvinist’s point of view, I see.”

Fionn gritted his teeth. “I’m not trying to be sexist! And anyway, Ciara is smaller than Orlagh. How could she have swung the medicine ball all the way up and around to hit Orlagh on the very top of her head?”

Louise faltered. “Well…erm…”

Surprisingly, it was Niamh who challenged the rugby player’s argument. “Actually, Fionn, I’ve been thinking about the evidence we’ve collected – how it all links up – and I think we might’ve misunderstood just how the murder occurred.”

“Really?” Fionn glanced at the Ultimate Model, who nodded.

“It’s got to do with that doorknob you broke off.”

“That was an accident!” he reminded her.

Niamh sighed. “That’s not the point. Remember how you, Aidan and Ryan heard the murder occur a few nights ago? If Orlagh was just hit on the head with a medicine ball, it wouldn’t have made such a loud noise. _Especially_ not a noise that could be heard all around the building.”

“Maybe the killer dropped the ball? Literally,” Michael added.

“I doubt they’d be so careless, even if they thought everyone was in their rooms. So…maybe the culprit killed Orlagh using the medicine ball in a way in which they couldn’t _help_ but make a loud noise.”

“…Are you sayin’ the killer _threw_ the medicine ball?” Aidan asked, disbelief evident in his voice.

“Not quite.” Niamh frowned as she tried to concentrate. “If the culprit tied the resistance band that Jack and Ryan found to the doorknobs in the corridor, held the medicine ball against the band, and then pulled it backwards…”

“Hold on!” Aisling piped up, looking a bit cross. “You think the killer made a giant _slingshot_ and used it to fire the medicine ball at Orlagh?”

Alex caught Niamh’s eye, and nodded. “Yes,” he said. “The murderer formed a makeshift catapult in order to launch the medicine ball with enough velocity to kill her.”

Nathan felt like laughing aloud. “That’s…mad, to be honest.”

“But it makes sense,” Jack said. “If the murder happened from a distance, it wouldn’t have gotten blood all over the killer’s clothes. Less chance of the victim retaliating violently, as well.”

“It seems as though _this_ killer learned from the mistakes of the previous two,” Alex muttered.

“But what would happen if it missed?” Aisling asked.

“Or Orlagh could’ve moved out of the way,” Michael added.

“I wouldn’t be standin’ still if I saw a massive fuckin’ medicine ball flyin’ towards me,” Aidan commented.

“Exactly,” Niamh said. “Which is why the culprit placed something in the middle of the corridor that would not only keep Orlagh in a single position for a certain period of time, but would also distract her from the oncoming murder weapon.”

Nathan realised immediately what the model was getting at. “You’re talking about the box, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Niamh confirmed. “The heavy, wooden box was set up in a specific location. When Orlagh saw the box, she’d try and open it, especially if the killer told her there was ‘something important’ inside. In order to open the box, she’d need to crouch down in front of it.”

“And the culprit would therefore have a precise approximation for the location of Orlagh’s head,” Alex concluded.

“A perfect target,” Ryan murmured.

Jack said, “If this theory of yours is true, Niamh, then that would explain the loose doorknobs in the corridor. The strain from holding the medicine ball and resistance band would have damaged them.”

Ciara scowled. “But who the hell would go to such lengths?”

Jack felt the room’s atmosphere change. It was time for the true culprit to be unmasked. The others were still reeling from Niamh’s revolutionary idea. And so, the task fell to him.

“It’s actually somewhat obvious,” Jack said, silencing the whispers and mutterings with only a few words. “I doubt that there would be very many people, even in a roomful of Ultimate Students, who could come up with a murder plot this precise. There was clearly some degree of calculation involved in planning the attack.”

Fionn felt a chill run down his spine, filling him with dread. “Wh-what are you saying…?”

“But the killer had already given themselves away quite some time ago,” Jack continued, forcing the words out as though they pained him. “After all, they told us that the chair leg was consistent with the fatal wound, and we just took their word for it. We never had a chance to see it for ourselves. If we had, we would’ve known immediately that they had lied to us.”

Fionn whimpered. “Please…”

Jack tried his hardest to ignore the rugby star’s desperate tone. He tried his hardest to carry on. And he tried his hardest to stop his voice from quivering.

“The person who murdered Orlagh McNamara, and then attempted to disguise his crime by controlling the investigation himself…”

“Stop!” the rugby player bellowed, but Jack was already spelling out the deadly words.

“…was Alex Coleman.”

Everyone’s heads turned to face the Ultimate Physicist, who stared stoically back at them through his glasses.

“It…it’s not him!” Fionn roared, his voice cracking mid-sentence.

“That doesn’t make sense!” Niamh cried. “He…Alex has been _helping_ us to find the killer! Why would he incriminate himself like that?”

Jack gritted his teeth, compelling himself to look Alex in the eye. “I don’t know. But, as the Ultimate Physicist, Alex is perfectly capable of performing vector calculations and the like in his head. Is this not true?”

If Alex was going to respond, it would have been drowned out by Fionn’s next outburst.

“Shut _up_!” he screamed. “He…Al…he wouldn’t…!” So distressed was he that complete sentences seemed beyond him.

Suddenly, Nathan became aware of how he had appeared to the others when he was defending Ciara. He felt a surge of empathy. “Fionn, I know how you feel, but-”

“You don’t know a fucking _thing_! Al would never do something like that! You…you’re all just-”

“Fionn.” Alex’s voice was barely more than a whisper.

Instantly, the Ultimate Rugby Star fell silent. But, if anything, the misery in his eyes became even more prominent. He swivelled his head slowly around to meet the physicist’s gaze.

“Tell them…they’re wrong, Al,” he pleaded, his voice coming out between sobs. “Tell…me.”

Alex looked his boyfriend – the only one he’d ever had – straight in the eyes, and said, “I did it, Fionn. I killed Orlagh.”

Fionn fell apart. There was nothing holding his composure together anymore. He broke down in sobs, crying openly and clutching his podium like he never wanted to let go.

Niamh, too, was weeping softly. The betrayal she felt was evident in her expression.

Alex, however, remained as emotionless as ever, even in the face of his inevitable punishment. If one looked carefully, they might see the despair in his eyes, already taken hold deep within. But the years of coping with his anger issues had made him a master of concealment.

“…Can we count this as a confession?” Nathan asked, his voice hoarse.

“Of course.” Alex nodded.

“Then it’s time to cast your votes, ladies and gents!” Monobear piped up. “Make sure you all press one of the icons on your screens. You _don’t_ want to know what happens if you refrain from voting,” he added darkly.

And so, as much as many of them didn’t want to, each student tapped the portrait of Alex Coleman that appeared on their screens. Moments later, the votes were tallied up.

“Aaaaaaand… _voila_!” Monobear cheered. “Another culprit has been successfully identified! And what a surprise, too! I suppose that it’s always the quiet ones you gotta watch out for…”

“Then…it _is_ true,” Ciara murmured sadly.

“Yes,” Alex said, with a brief nod. “But don’t you want to hear the full story?”

“…” No one had the heart to respond.

“Very well,” the physicist said. “Allow me to explain.

“I took a heavy medicine ball and a resistance band from the medical office on the ground floor, before leaving a message for Orlagh in her room, telling her to come to the second floor corridor. I had heard from Jack and Nathan that she had started calling herself ‘Genocide Jack’. By using that name, I appealed to Orlagh’s irrational mental state. I also appealed to her sense of survival, telling her I’d kill her if she didn’t come. I knew that she wouldn’t tell anyone else of the message, largely because she _couldn’t_. I set up a trap by tying the resistance band to the doorknobs along the corridor. By pulling the bands back and placing the medicine ball in the sling, I had formed a makeshift catapult. I held the ball there until Orlagh came along. Luckily, I didn’t have long to wait: she had departed almost as soon as she had read the note. Beforehand, I had placed a weighted, wooden box on the floor in the middle of the corridor. When the victim arrived, they would have to bend down in order to open in. Thus, I had a precise approximation of where Orlagh’s head would be, and had a target for the catapult to hit. When the murder occurred, the impact made a loud noise that was heard around the building. Fionn, Aidan and Ryan heard the sound on their return from the swimming pool that evening. I cleaned up the crime scene, returning the medicine ball and resistance band back to the medical office, before leaving the audio recording device at the scene. On the current track was a single, loud sound effect, which was set to play at a specific time: when all of the students would be making their way to the refectory for breakfast. Meanwhile, I had discovered that the medicine ball couldn’t be cleaned before the blood dried, and so the blood remained on the weapon. The band had been strained by the medicine ball, and there was nothing I could do about that. Because the wooden box was so heavy, I couldn’t carry it all the way back to the art room, where I had found it. And the doorknobs in the corridor had also been damaged by having the bands wrapped around them. The next morning, in order to draw attention away from all this evidence, I left a chair leg at the scene of the crime and covered it with blood in order to disguise it as the murder weapon. As everyone was leaving to go to the refectory for breakfast, the sound played. A few minutes later, they all rushed to the source to find Orlagh’s body.

“And that’s the entirety of this case.” He exhaled with an air of finality. “I apologise, but I’d wanted to get a chance to do one of these explanations ever since the first trial.” He smiled weakly.

But Aidan shook his head. “We don’t give a fuck about how you did it. We want to know _why_.”

The smile disappeared. “Why?” he echoed. His head dipped, until his face was hidden in shadow. “I had to know. What happened to us after we came to St. Elpis’? What happened before we woke up? Why were we brought into this disturbing place? Why did I wake up here, only to realise that my voice had somehow broken in my sleep? I had to have the answers. Monobear was offering them, so I took that chance.” His body twitched. “But I never would have done it if it weren’t for that _blasted_ photograph,” he snarled. “Once I saw that, all of my theories and guesswork were thrown out the window. I _needed_ to know the meaning behind it. So, I…killed her.”

“Why did you pick Orlagh, of all people?” Jack asked.

Alex finally looked up. “I knew that she was the most dangerous person here, the most unpredictable. I couldn’t live with myself if I killed one of you. But _her_?” His mouth was pressed in a hard line. “She was insane. Driven mad by despair. I reasoned my choice by telling myself that no one would mourn her death. Out of all of us, she’s the one who deserved to live the least.”

Jack glared at him. “That’s not something you get to decide. _Nobody_ can decide that.”

“..."

“But Niamh raised a good point.” Nathan recalled what the model had said a few minutes previously. “Why _did_ you help us incriminate you? There were plenty of times where you could’ve interfered with evidence and gotten away with it. But you didn’t. In fact, as far as I can tell, the only time you weren’t honest with us was when you lied and said that the chair leg was consistent with Orlagh’s head wound.” He heard his voice rise, surging with emotion. “Why did you help us?!”

Alex replied, “I wanted to help you find me out. I deserve to be punished for what I’ve done. But, if I had made it too obvious that I was the killer, you all would have been less likely to believe me. If I had confessed to my crimes right from the start, would you have thought it was all true?”

Nathan hesitated. “I…don’t know.”

“Exactly,” Alex said, but without the triumph that would usually accompany the word. “I couldn’t leave any room for doubt. The best way to have myself incriminated for the crime would be to lead the investigation towards me. To that end, I falsely claimed that the chair leg was the murder weapon, despite it being an obvious decoy.”

“I can’t believe you, Alex,” Aisling whispered. “I thought…I thought you were a good person, you know? You have people who care about you, but you were just going to throw it all away.”

Alex chuckled humourlessly. “I was never a ‘good person’. I always resorted to anger whenever someone disagreed with me. I lashed out at everyone around me, and drove them all away. My parents and teachers told me I needed to change, so I did. I suppressed my emotions, discarded them and dismissed them as weaknesses. But, in doing that, I was still driving other people away. I realise now how wrong that was.” He laughed quietly again. “Frankly, it’s incredible how clear everything seems once your death becomes this imminent.”

“But what about us, Al?” Niamh asked, through her tears. “What about me and Fionn? Did you _discard_ us, too?”

Alex swallowed the sudden lump in his throat; it wouldn’t do to break down now. “I never had a proper friend before. Niamh…you were the first friend I ever had. And Fionn…” He turned now to the rugby star. “I wish we could have spent more time together. Nobody ever made me feel as special as you did. They praised my work, my brilliance, my talent…but never once did they pay attention to _me_. You two – and the rest of you, to an extent – were the first ones to do that.” His calm façade wavered momentarily. “But, when those questions started clamouring to be answered, I couldn’t resist. I’m a scientist: solving problems is second-nature to me. I…forgot about what really mattered. I don’t deserve your affection. I don’t even deserve to live. It’s better off if Monobear takes care of me, that same way he did Deirdre and Seán.”

“No,” Nathan shouted, staring down the culprit, “that’s wrong! Nobody _deserves_ to die! You made a few mistakes, Alex, but you’re only human! Why…can’t you see that we want you to stay?”

Alex smiled wryly. “Isn’t that going a tad too far? I _am_ a murderer, after all.” His eyes flickered briefly to the Ultimate All-Rounder. “Maybe your friend has had more of an effect on you than even you realise.”

“He’s right, Al,” Niamh said, in a half-whisper. “We don’t want this. _None_ of us do.”

“You may be a killer,” Ryan admitted, “but…we shared in so many experiences together. Losing all of that…it’s not _right_.”

“You didn’t mean to hurt us,” Michael said. “We know you didn’t.”

Alex smiled, his eyes welling up. “You’re too kind to me. All of you.” His gaze moved to Fionn. But, seeing the hurt and despair in his boyfriend’s eyes, he turned away again. “But this is what I deserve.” He found himself facing Monobear and his ridiculous throne. “Now, then. I believe we had a deal?”

Monobear grinned. “Upupupu! We sure did! You want the low-down on what happened after you came to St. Elpis’ College, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then, I’ll tell you.” Monobear took a deep breath, despite not needing oxygen to function, before declaring, “You all went to school there!”

Alex blinked. “What?”

“You heard me! You arrived at St. Elpis’, went inside, were greeted by the principal, and then spent nearly two years in the institution as students.” Monobear’s mouth twitched, clearly on the verge of another laughing fit. “That’s the secret behind your pasts. Upupu…upupupupupu…! Aaaaaahahahahahahahaha!”

Monobear’s insane laughter filled the chamber as the collective students shouted their confusion and shock.

“That’s ridiculous!”

“How can that be true?!”

“Why don’t we remember all that?”

Alex had frozen to the spot. “Is…is such a thing possible…?”

“It’s exactly what you think, Mr. Killer,” Monobear said to him. “Your memories of the time you spent in St. Elpis’ were erased before this ‘killing school life’ began.”

“But…how…?” Alex was at a loss. In hindsight, it seemed so obvious. But he had barely even considered the possibility of induced amnesia. He wanted to kick himself. Some Ultimate Physicist he had turned out to be…

“It’s all very high-end, super-technical stuff,” Monobear reassured him. “Don’t worry your little head about it. Regardless, your memories are gone. And that’s why you thought that you had only just fallen asleep between coming to St. Elpis’ and waking up in here.” Monobear giggled again. “Upupu! Such brilliance! I wish _I_ had thought of it!”

Alex’s head snapped up at the bear’s words. “What was that?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing, nothing.” Monobear waved his paws dismissively. “Now, come on. You’ve dilly-dallied enough in here. Let’s give it everything we’ve got! Iiiiiiit’s _punishment time!_ ”

Alex nodded slowly, taking a single step forwards. And with that step, every emotion he had ever bottled-up seemed to re-emerge and overwhelm him.

He cried out, whirling on the spot and sprinting towards Fionn. And suddenly the Ultimate Rugby Star was there, and his big arms were clinging tightly to Alex’s skinny frame, bringing warmth and care in place of the crushing despair, and there were tears in their eyes as they pressed their mouths together, desperately seeking each other’s affection. And then there was a cold, hard tug at Alex’s neck and now Fionn was hurtling away from him at an incredible velocity, disappearing around the corner as darkness swallowed Alex up.

“NO!” Fionn roared, chasing after Alex as the chains dragged him away to meet his fate. Everyone ran, following them both into the darkness of the tunnel.

The execution room had changed once again; it was now a facsimile of a lecture theatre, with the seats stretching up behind the students as before. The hurling pitch had been replaced by a stage, upon which there was a single, large, glass container, shaped almost like an upside-down test-tube. There was a series of malevolent-looking pumps connected to the side of the container. And lying on the floor, on the other side of the glass, was Alex.

Alex looked around, dazed and disorientated by his rapid journey at the end of a chain. He took in as much of his surroundings as he could. He was trapped in a closed environment: inside a room that seemed to be made of glass. If the walls indeed _were_ made of glass, he didn’t know, for the walls were completely opaque. The place where the walls met the floor was coated in some sort of seal. The walls curved upwards, forming a domed ceiling. The shape was definitely familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on it…

The students watched as Monobear clambered up on top of the pump, grabbed hold of the handle, and slowly began to push it up and down, up and down, building up a steady rhythm. Monobear grunted with effort.

Alex gasped as he felt the oxygen inside the room – no, inside the _bell jar_ – decrease. He choked, struggling for air, but was unable to completely fill his lungs. He began to panic, searching desperately for an exit, or something that could help him. To his astonishment, he discovered a single book, lying on the floor by the wall. He snatched the book up off the floor and quickly flicked through the pages, hoping fervently that he would find some meaning in the book. But every page throughout the book only had a single sentence written on it. As he looked closely, he realised that it was the _same_ sentence, printed on every page.

He read it.

The students, observing from outside, saw Alex drop the book and let out to scream. It was a noise of pure, torturous agony, expressed through voice. Worse still, the more Monobear pumped, the quieter Alex’s screaming became, until it had faded to nothing. The only thing left was the physicist’s anguished expression: his open mouth, his widened eyes. His face told the whole story.

Fionn reacted immediately, once he heard the Ultimate Physicist begin to scream. He ran toward the bell jar, vaulting up onto the stage and crossing over to the great container and hammering on the glass.

“Al!” he roared, his voice tinged with sorrow. “Al!”

“Booo!” The students heard Monobear’s jeering. “Get off the stage!”

They saw Alex slam on the glass, unable to see what lay just beyond it. He was shouting something, his mouth forming the words, but his voice was heavily muffled by now. His final message was unable to pass through the vacuum he was trapped in. His movements grew slower and slower, as Monobear’s pumping grew strenuous. Eventually, Alex’s hand was barely tapping against the walls of the bell jar. He had stopped screaming, but his face was stained with tears as he slid down the side of the container, his eyes drooping shut. Alex collapsed on the floor, shaking slightly as his lungs struggled to find air.

“No!” Fionn hissed, his own eyes swimming with tears. “Please, Al! Wake up!”

Monobear harrumphed. “Trying to…interfere with…a punishment like that! Why, I oughta…!” He wheezed. “If I weren’t so…outta breath…you’d be dead meat…big guy!”

Fionn didn’t respond. He was staring numbly at the unconscious figure of Alex Coleman, whose breathing was fading by the second.

“Move it!” Monobear hollered. “Or I…really _will_ have to punish you!”

For a moment, it seemed that Fionn hadn’t heard. But, eventually, he stepped away from the bell jar, before finally turning around and walking away. He clambered down off the stage, rejoining the other students, who were paralysed with shock and grief.

“Well, I’m glad my latest punishment had such a profound effect on you poor saps.” Monobear beamed proudly. “I like to call _that_ one, ‘Plath’s Revenge’! I sure am happy that I’ve got you guys to count on to murder each other! Otherwise, I’d never get a chance to show off these fantabulous punishments!”

Nobody spoke, which make Monobear’s smile wither. “Huh? What’s the matter? Was it something I said?”

As one, the students turned their back on the bear and walked back through the tunnel.

“Wha- Hey!” Monobear squeaked. “I’m not done with you losers yet! I’ve still got, like, another page’s worth of gloating to get through! I even threw in some _Shakespeare_ , for cryin’ out loud! You telling me you bastards don’t appreciate good literature? Or is it because Shakespeare was a _British_ writer? That’s a very Republican attitude to take! You kids are too young to be so prejudiced!”

The students’ footsteps slowly faded from Monobear’s audio detectors. He sighed.

“I guess I’ll just save ‘em for the next time…”

He turned back around to face the bell jar. The figure within lay still, his body having finally given up the vain struggle for oxygen. Another successful execution.

Despite his disappointment, Monobear laughed.

“Upupupupu…!”

 

 

** 10 STUDENTS REMAINING: **

Ultimate Model – Niamh Clarke

Ultimate Surfer – Aidan Collins

Ultimate Rugby Star – Fionn Healey

Ultimate Dancer – Ryan Jackson

Ultimate All-Rounder – Jack Jones

Ultimate Guitarist – Ciara Maguire

Ultimate Lucky Student – Nathan Murphy

Ultimate Vet – Michael Reynolds

Ultimate Journalist – Louise Smythe

Ultimate Boxer – Aisling Taggart


	24. Chapter 4: Despair Pressure - Part 1

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

After returning to the school building, the students found themselves at a loss for what to do. Fionn was practically catatonic, and Niamh wasn’t much better. Even Louise seemed speechless.

Dazed, they all departed the foyer, making for various parts of the school. Nathan didn’t care where the rest of them were going. All he wanted was to return to his bedroom and sleep until the morning’s events were nothing more than a dreamlike memory, a view that he was sure some of the others shared.

The rest of their fourteenth day in the former school drifted by. They were all snapped out of their stupor by Monobear’s Night Time announcement, and so those who weren’t already in their rooms by that point trudged off to bed. Aidan and Ryan didn’t even go out for their traditional swim, preferring instead to just laze around in their bedrooms until they fell asleep.

Nathan realised what had happened: despair had finally set in amongst the teenagers trapped in the school, despite their best attempts to avoid it. Watching Deirdre and Seán be executed was painful and shocking, but somewhat cathartic, in a way. He knew it was wrong to think so. Deirdre had been spoiled and self-centred, while the Ultimate GAA Head had fulfilled every negative stereotype associated with his title and _more_. But the most recent culprit, Alex, had seemed so…harmless. The Ultimate Lucky Student had had little interaction with the first two killers, but he had considered the physicist a friend, at least. So, to see him die in such a horrific fashion, on top of learning that two years of his life had been taken away from him…it was too much. It had crushed whatever hope he’d had left lingering within him. He knew that the others felt the same.

The hours dragged by, and Nathan was unaware of whether or not he was asleep or awake. When the morning announcement came, he pulled himself up out of bed and walked into the bathroom, his feet moving almost mechanically. All of the life had been sucked out of his routine, if he could call it that. Regardless of his emotional state, his stomach growled in protest, so he dragged himself down to the refectory for breakfast, as normal.

 

***

 

The Ultimate All-Rounder found himself alone in the refectory, having walked over there slightly earlier than usual. As such, he was the first to see the photographs lying on the table.

There were four of them in total, each one depicting a group of secondary school students, nearly all clad in the same greenish clothes, with the crest of St. Elpis’ College emblazoned upon their chests. The first three contained four people each, while the final picture displayed a total of sixteen students. The fourth photograph was the one that caught his attention. He saw himself in the photo, standing in the back of the picture, flashing a cheeky grin at the camera. Just to the left of him was the Ultimate Rugby Star, who was smiling awkwardly, as though camera-shy. Fionn was resting his hands on the shoulders of the boy in front: Alex. The Ultimate Physicist’s eyes were mostly hidden behind his spectacles, but his smile was clearly genuine. Standing next to the physicist was Niamh, of course. Her smile seemed to brighten up the entire photograph. On the model’s left was none other than Gráinne, whose face still brought a twinge of pain to Jack whenever he saw her. Standing behind the Ultimate Prefect was Orlagh, who was giving the camera an actual smile, instead of the simper she had usually worn. On the far side of Fionn to where Jack stood was Seán, who had neglected to take off his hurling helmet, or his jersey. Nonetheless, the GAA head’s grin was clearly visible above the chin strap. On Seán’s right stood the Ultimate Vet, who seemed to want to show as much of his teeth in his smile as he possibly could. Standing in front of him was Ciara, who was leaning slightly against the girl on her left: Deirdre. Despite forsaking her favourite dress, the Ultimate Soprano still managed to look stunning in the uniform of St. Elpis’. Kneeling down in front of Ciara was Louise, whose trademark notepad could be seen clutched in her hand. On the journalist’s left was the Ultimate Dancer, whose hand was in the act of snaking downwards towards the waist of the girl beside him: Aisling. The Ultimate Boxer was completely oblivious to the wandering hand, instead beaming innocently at the camera. Kneeling beside her was Nathan, who seemed a bit bemused by the antics of everyone around him, but he smiled nevertheless. His curly hair was being ruffled by Ellie, who sat next to him at the end of the front row. And, to complete the picture, the Ultimate Surfer was lying on the ground at the very front of the group, his hands laced behind his head as he grinned lazily. The background of the photograph featured a beautiful, sunny, green landscape of fields and trees: obviously the surroundings of the school’s campus.

A peculiar feeling of déjà vu pervaded Jack’s thoughts as he scanned the photograph. Had he seen it before? He couldn’t remember it being taken, due to his amnesia. How could he have memories of the photo at all?

He flipped the picture around to its reverse side, and his eyes widened in shock and fear.

A few minutes later, the doors of the refectory swung open and in walked Nathan, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

“G’morning,” the Ultimate Lucky Student greeted his friend, who seemed to be examining a few pieces of paper that were lying on the table. “What have you got there?”

Jack held up one, showing it to Nathan, who saw that it was actually a photograph. “These were left on the table,” the all-rounder explained.

“What, all  _three_ of them?” Nathan studied the two that had been left on the table, barely paying attention to Jack’s mumbled reply.

Nathan picked up one of the pictures and studied it. There were four students in the photograph, just as there had been in the previous photo. The one that had led to Orlagh’s murder at the hands of Alex…

Nathan shook his head, choosing instead to focus on the picture before him. He winced as he recognised the four people in it: Fionn Healey, Alex Coleman, Orlagh McNamara and Niamh Clarke. All of them were dressed in shorts and tracksuit tops, and were standing in front of a banner that said ‘St. Elpis’ College Sports Day 2011’ in large, friendly letters. Out of the four of them, Fionn seemed to be the only one who wasn’t out of breath. But all of them were smiling exuberantly. Alex, in particular, was looking thrilled, holding a relay baton over his head in triumph.

The photograph stirred uncomfortable feelings within Nathan, so he put it down and picked up one of the other two. The next one featured Aidan Collins, Ryan Jackson, Michael Reynolds and Aisling Taggart, all dressed in swimwear and dripping with water. Ryan was wearing his typical grin, and had his arms slung around the shoulders of the other two lads. Michael, to his credit, only looked slightly uncomfortable.

The third and final photograph, naturally enough, contained the remaining four students: Jack Jones, Ciara Maguire, Louise Smythe and Nathan Murphy. The Ultimate Lucky Student, All-Rounder and Journalist were gathered around the guitarist as she played her instrument. All three of the non-musicians were practically mesmerised by Ciara and whatever song she was playing. Nathan felt a twinge of embarrassment upon seeing his younger self’s starstruck expression in the picture. Was that how he always appeared when he looked at Ciara? Did he really wear his heart on his sleeve like that?

“Why did Monobear leave these for us?” Nathan wondered aloud.

“Who knows?” Jack shrugged. “I suppose that, since we know about our pasts as students of St. Elpis’, he has no reason to hide these photos anymore.” He walked over to the table, pulling a chair for himself and sitting down, hoping that Nathan wouldn’t hear the sound of the fourth photograph crumpling in his pocket.

Nathan sighed as he mimicked the all-rounder’s actions. “But, do we _really_ know about our pasts? All Monobear told us was that we attended St. Elpis’ and spent ‘nearly two years’ there.” He folded his arms and thought. “Does that mean something happened during our second year in the school?”

“I don’t know…but I’ve been having some strange dreams lately,” Jack admitted, causing Nathan to look up at him. “I think they might be remnants of my lost memories.”

Nathan nodded, looking concerned. “I had a weird dream, as well. _You_ were there…and so was Gráinne.”

Jack frowned. “I wonder…”

Their speculation was interrupted by the arrival of the other students for breakfast. They filed in almost automatically, reminding Nathan of the despair that still lurked within him. The others were shown the photographs and, if anything, seemed to become even more depressed.

“We all look so happy in these pictures,” Aisling commented, her present expression communicating anything but happiness.

“We were so full of hope,” Michael said. “And now, look at us.”

Jack had heard enough. “Ciara. I need to talk to you.”

The guitarist blinked. “Y-yeah? Alright…”

Although she was clearly perplexed by the all-rounder’s request, she still followed him out the refectory. Nathan’s eyes lingered on the pair as they departed, unable to stop the jealousy from bubbling up in his gut. He mentally chided himself; what right had he to be jealous? Ciara wasn’t _his_. And she probably never would be. And, even if Jack were interested in her, he wouldn’t betray his friend like that. Nathan trusted Jack.

_The same way you trusted Alex?_

Nathan grimaced, deciding to just eat his breakfast and not dwell any more on the subject.

Aidan noticed the anger with which the Ultimate Lucky Student was attacking his bowl of cereal, and he sat down next to him. “Rough night?”

Nathan sighed. “Was it obvious?”

“Yep.”

“Ugh.” Nathan slumped.

Aidan grinned, giving the other boy a pat on the back. “You’re not the only one. It’s been a hard few days. And…to be honest, I dunno if it’ll ever get better.”

Nathan turned his head to the side, peering at the surfer’s unusually thoughtful expression. “Are you okay?”

Aidan shrugged. “Dunno. I’ve never felt like this before. If this is despair, then no wonder Jack is always goin’ on about how we have to keep hope alive.”

Nathan nodded gloomily. “I know what you mean. With the way things are now…I kind of wonder what the point of it all is.”

Aidan’s eyebrows rose. “Hey, now, what’re _you_ complainin’ about? You’ve got a girl who wants to ride the hole off you! What more could you want?”

Nathan’s face turned bright red, and he started spluttering. “I…that’s…!”

“I’m only jokin’,” Aidan said, chuckling. “And don’t worry: Ciara isn’t going to choose Jack over you.”

Nathan scowled. “That’s not what I’m worried about!”

“I’m sure.”

Aidan’s grin faded as he saw how his words had irritated the Ultimate Lucky Student. “Ah, Nathan…I’m sorry. I say stupid things sometimes, you know? Like, back there in the courtroom…” He trailed off. “Anyway, if I ever start hasslin’ you again, just call me a dickhead. Or tell me that I’m a tiny cunt.”

“I don’t think you’re a dickhead,” Nathan told him, in what he felt was a reassuring voice. “And you’re not _that_ much smaller than me.”

Aidan nudged him. “You’re a sound man, Nathan. But it’s fine. I won’t mind if you call me a tiny cunt. I’m used to it.”

“Do…people really call you that so much?”

“It used to happen all the time, if I wasn’t bein’ called a ginger instead.”

“But…I mean…you’re so…” Nathan gestured vaguely at Aidan’s body. “Broad,” he finished lamely.

“Actually, one of the main reasons why I bulked up was because people kept tellin’ me how small I was. After that, whenever some eejit got onto me about it, I’d just hit him a box.” He mimed throwing a punch to get his point across, snickering slightly as he did so. “But, don’t worry, I won’t hit _you_. You’re too sound for me to do that.”

The Ultimate Surfer had always seemed so carefree and laid-back to Nathan. To find out that he, too, had self-confidence issues was a bit of a blow. “I’m sorry. I never knew.”

Aidan blinked. “Huh? What’re you on about?”

“I never realised that you were a victim of bullying. I know what it’s like to have people pick on you for no reason.”

“What? They weren’t _bullyin’_ me,” Aidan said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. “People comin’ up to me and callin’ me small hardly counts as bein’ bullied, does it? I mean, yeah, it _used_ to bother me. But look at me now! I’m the Ultimate Surfer: I’m famous, practically! Lads want to chat to me, girls want to shift me, and _everyone_ wants to drink with me. I’m livin’ the good life, so I am.”

Nathan stared into the surfer’s eyes, searching for any hint of his true feelings. Was he putting on a front? Or did he honestly believe what he was saying? It was hard for him to tell. Nathan cursed his lack of people skills.

“I guess you’re just lucky, so,” he said, after a short while.

“Not as lucky as _you_.” Aidan gave the other boy a wink. “You’ve got one of the best musicians in Ireland fawnin’ over you.”

Nathan grumbled. It always came back to this. “It’s not like that.”

“I’m not much of a romantic,” Aidan carried on, “but I know a couple when I see one. You’re already in there, Nathan.”

Nathan wanted to make a snide comment about Aidan and Ryan, and how they were just like himself and Ciara in that regard, but thought better of it.

“…Whatever.”

Soon, Nathan had finished his breakfast. He cleaned his spot at the table before marching out of the refectory, politely responding when Aidan called, “See you later.”

Nathan remembered the pattern of the last few incidents: a student was killed, the culprit was found and punished and then, as a reward, Monobear opened up the next floor of the school for investigation. In all probability, the same thing had happened now. He could go there and kill a few hours. By himself.

 

*** 

 

Like Nathan, Michael’s curiosity had been piqued by the realisation that the third floor of the school had been opened up. As he made his way up there, a short while after finishing his usual breakfast of beans on toast, he bumped into the Ultimate Model as she was climbing the stairs. The girl looked particularly morose.

“Hello, Niamh,” Michael said, in a gentle voice.

She mumbled a reply, without meeting the vet’s eye.

“Are you feelin’ alright?”

“…”

“I understand you’re still upset over what happened yesterday,” he went on. “God knows _I’m_ still upset about it all.” The image of Alex flailing madly against the walls of the bell jar before collapsing into a twitching heap was enough to give anybody nightmares.

Michael suppressed a shudder. “But, today’s a new day, isn’t it? We shouldn’t let despair rule our hearts.” He tried a winning smile. “That’s what I think Jack would say in this situation.”

Niamh regarded the Ultimate Vet curiously. Was he trying to cheer her up? He wasn’t doing a particularly good job of it.

“So…would you like to come explore the new floor with me?” he asked her. “We might find something interestin’.”

Niamh considered the proposition. She’d wanted to be alone to allow some time to process her thoughts. Investigating the newly-opened third floor provided the perfect excuse for that. However, she _did_ appreciate the vet’s efforts. He’d been the only person so far that hadn’t been so consumed by their own despair to not pay attention to her. That took a remarkable strength, in a way.

And so she gave him a watery smile and said, “I’d like that.”

Michael beamed, pleased with himself. “Alright. Then, let’s go!”

They finished climbing the stairs and walked out onto the third floor landing. There was a long hallway that stretched out before them, and another to their right. A walk along the first corridor, following the turns, eventually brought them back to the landing via the second corridor, leading them to conclude that that particular hallway encircled the area. As they walked down the corridor, they strolled past numerous classrooms, a pair of bathrooms, the chemistry lab and a fancy, wooden door with a shiny, brass plaque on it that read, “Principal’s Office.” To their disappointment, the door turned out to be locked. The room next door – the Staff Room – was also locked.

An investigation of the chemistry laboratory, however, proved fruitful. While the lab itself was rather standard, the two teenagers found a shelf full of what they had assumed to be medicine. But, once they properly examined the labels on the bottles inside, they found out that they all contained lethal poisons. There was such a large and varying supply of poison that Michael and Niamh were certain Monobear was behind it. They left the lab in a hurry, deciding instead to explore the classrooms.

The third floor classrooms were in an even worse state than those on the second floor. Desks and chairs had been toppled over and strewn about the floor without any regard for health and safety. Posters on the wall had been torn down, leaving only shreds of paper behind. And the blackboards in each room were covered in manic doodles and incomprehensible writing.

Niamh examined what she thought were mathematical equations and statement, but turned out to be complete nonsense. Such weird things as ‘If Sally has two apples, and Johnny has three, how did she get pregnant?’ or even, ‘If Sam murders ten innocents, and Mary murders only five, which one of them is more successful in life?’

Niamh shook her head in disbelief. “This is…disturbing.”

“Yeah, it is,” Michael murmured.

They quickly moved on to the next classroom, where they found none other than the Ultimate Lucky Student himself. Nathan, too, was examining the blackboard.

“Hey, there, Nathan!” Michael called, as he joined him at the front of the classroom. “What’re you lookin’ at?”

Nathan pointed to a set of symbols on the very top of the board:

**江ノ島**

“Is that Chinese?” Michael asked.

“I haven’t a clue,” Nathan replied. “But I’ve seen these characters before. They must mean something important.”

Michael knew about as much about Asian languages as he did about astrophysics. His eyes moved down the board, to a sentence written in Irish. Beneath it was a sentence written in French. And beneath _that_ was a sentence written in German. The entirety of the blackboard, beneath the symbols that Nathan was so obsessed with, was covered in sentences written in various languages.

“What does this say?” the vet wondered, eyeing the Irish words. His grasp of the Irish language was loose, to say the least. But he tried pronouncing the words as best he could. _“An eachtra is mό, is uafásaí, is tragóidí i stair an duine.”_

“I don’t know what it means.” Nathan was staring at the words, as well. “Something about an ‘incident’. ‘The biggest incident’, I think.”

Michael suddenly felt Niamh’s presence at his side. “It says, ‘The biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history.’”

Michael blinked. “I never knew you spoke Irish so well, Niamh.”

“It’s one of my better subjects,” she admitted. “I’m fairly sure the French sentence beneath it means the same thing. But I never learned any German. And I can’t read any of the other languages, either.”

“That’s okay,” Nathan said abruptly. “I know what they all say. ‘The biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history,’ wasn’t it?”

“You’re sure?” Michael raised an eyebrow.

“Positive. There’s a classroom downstairs with a blackboard just like this one. It’s covered in words, all written in different languages. But they all say the same thing: ‘despair’.” He pointed up to the top of the blackboard again. “And at the top were those symbols. It must be some sort of clue.”

Michael scratched his head. “It’s a bit beyond me, Nathan. I don’t even know what the biggest, most terrible, most despair-inducin’ event in history _is_. The Holocaust, maybe? Or the Crusades?”

“Maybe this was a history class?” Niamh pondered. “Granted, I don’t know why the classroom is this state.” She glanced around the hall, eyes moving over the chaotic mess.

Michael shivered. “I don’t like this place. Come on, lads. Let’s go.”

Niamh willingly followed him, but Nathan just sat back down on the teacher’s desk. “You two can go on. I’m staying here.” His expression was thoughtful, and so the others thought it best to leave him alone.

“Where should we go next?” Michael asked, as soon as they had left the classroom. “The music room? Or should we head back downstairs?”

Instead, Niamh said, “Thank you, Michael.”

“Er…huh?”

“Thanks for doing this. You didn’t have to do anything, but you came along and helped me out of my slump.” She smiled, and the vet’s heart quickened at the sight. “You’re a real gentleman,” she told him.

Michael blushed. “Oh…I dunno about that. But, if you’ve cheered up a bit, then I suppose I must’ve done somethin’ right.”

She laughed. “Don’t worry. You did.” She jerked her head towards the stairwell. “Come on. Let’s go for a walk.”

Michael nodded. “Lead the way.


	25. Chapter 4: Despair Pressure - Part 2

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

It was early in the afternoon when Nathan eventually tired of the third floor. It didn’t help that most of the area had been closed off. Those were likely the ‘minimal restrictions’ Monobear had placed on the student’s exploration of the school that had been mentioned in the school rules. The lack of knowledge about his own past in the school frustrated the Ultimate Lucky Student greatly: he had been so looking forward to attending St. Elpis’, only to have it all taken away from him by some fiendish mastermind. Of whom they _also_ knew next to nothing about. Monobear had revealed tantalisingly little about their missing memories on purpose, Nathan realised. He was trying to cultivate the despair that had crept into their group. And it was working, too. Alex had killed Orlagh for nothing.

Nathan decided to return to his bedroom, in the vain hope that lying on his bed and studying the ceiling above him would result in fresh ideas. But the journey to the dormitories took him past the lounge, from which he heard the gentle sound of guitar strings being plucked.

He froze. Should he, or shouldn’t he? Wasn’t it up to the boy to take the first step in these situations? Maybe he could have a chat with her, or take a quick tour of the third floor? They could pay a visit to the music room. He’d think she’d appreciate _that_ , if anything.

But, when he entered the lounge, following the strains of music, he found a dark mop of hair poking out over the top of one of the couches. Ciara’s favourite guitar was being slowly strummed by none other than the Ultimate All-Rounder. Nathan couldn’t stop a disappointed groan from escaping between his lips, causing Jack to look up and laugh.

“Expecting somebody else?” he asked.

Nathan nodded reluctantly, and Jack said, “Don’t worry. She’ll be back soon.”

Nathan waved a hand. “It’s grand. So, what’re you up to? I didn’t know you played guitar, as well. Or is that just you being-?”

“No, it’s nothing to do with me being the Ultimate All-Rounder,” Jack interrupted him, a little irritably. “I never knew how to play the guitar, so I had Ciara teach me. I’d been meaning to learn.”

“Fair enough,” Nathan said, as he sat down on the opposite couch. “So, what did she teach you?”

“Just some ‘chords’,” he answered, as though he was unfamiliar with the term. “Nothing too fancy, but I’ve been figuring some things out for myself.”

“Glad to hear it,” Nathan muttered.

Jack eyed his friend. “Are you still upset about what happened yesterday morning? You shouldn’t let it get you down for so long.”

Nathan scowled. “What? How can you say that? Alex is-!” He looked around furtively, before lowering his voice. “Alex is dead. He killed Orlagh, too. That’s a perfectly good reason to be upset, you know!”

Jack was taken aback by the boy’s sudden burst of anger. “Alright, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” He took a breath, and said, “What I’m trying to say is that, if we all succumb to despair, we let the mastermind win. We should be thankful that we’re all here, and still able to fight back. Otherwise, Alex will have died for nothing.”

Nathan’s scowl lifted. The all-rounder had a point, he supposed. There would be time enough for mourning when they were all out of this mess, safe and sound. “You might be right. But try explaining that to Fionn. And Niamh, as well,” he added, recalling how dazed the Ultimate Model had seemed when he had seen her earlier.

Jack looked sombre. “I don’t know if the answers I have are the right ones, but we need to at least have hope. So…that’s what gave me this idea.”

“‘Idea’?” Nathan repeated.

At that moment, he heard voices from down the corridor, growing steadily louder. Before he could ask what was going on, all of the remaining students had appeared, taking seats wherever they could find one. Nathan saw Fionn sit down in an armchair, alone, not looking up from the floor in front of him. They had all been led in by Ciara, who sat down beside Jack, on the couch. She smiled as she addressed them all.

“Thanks for agreeing to do this,” she said. “Even if things are difficult now, I’m glad you all wanted to come with me.” Her eyes fell upon the Ultimate Lucky Student, who blushed and hurriedly looked away.

“So, what _is_ ‘this’, exactly?” Ryan asked.

“You just told us to follow you,” Aisling pointed out. “You said Jack had a surprise for us?”

The all-rounder nodded. “I do, indeed. Ciara helped me get the idea off the ground, though.”

The guitarist grinned. “You make it sound like it’s some sort of business idea, Jack. It’s just a song.”

Michael blinked. “You’re going to sing for us again, Jack?”

“That’s right,” Jack confirmed, his hands moving up and down the instrument. “I thought it would be just the thing we need to snap us out of this funk.”

“Why isn’t Ciara going to play?” Louise asked.

“Jack insisted that he perform solo,” she told them. “He didn’t even tell me what song he’s going to play. Said he wanted it to be a surprise.”

Nathan raised an eyebrow at Jack, who shrugged and smiled.

“I figured out the chords by ear,” he said simply, as though describing what he had eaten for breakfast.

“It was fairly impressive,” Ciara added. “Especially for a beginner like himself.”

“So, if that’s everything,” Jack said, “we can begin. Make sure that you sing along if you know the words.”

Nathan wondered what kind of song he had in mind. A slow, emotional ballad?  A fast-paced, motivational rock song? The answer turned out to be neither of those things.

Jack moved his fingers along the fretboard, placing them in specific positions, before bringing his right hand down across the strings, producing a melancholy-sounding chord. He opened his mouth, and the lyrics issued out in a rather comical tone.

_“Some things in life are bad. They can really make you mad. Other things just make you swear and curse…”_

Nathan heard a quiet chuckle from somewhere to his left. He glanced over to see Ryan shaking his head in disbelief, a smile spreading slowly across his face.

_“When you’re chewing on life’s gristle, don’t grumble,”_ Jack exclaimed, _“give a whistle! And this’ll help things turn out for the best…”_

There were a few grunts from around the room as others recognised the song. Even Nathan himself couldn’t mistake such a well-known tune.

Jack launched into the chorus. _“And…always look on the bright side of life!”_ He whistled along with the catchy melody. _“Always look on the light side of life!”_ He whistled again, driving the theme even further into everyone’s skulls.

Another glance around the room showed Nathan a few things. A few of the students were nodding their heads in time with Jack’s strumming, and several smiles could be seen creeping across some of their faces. By now, Ryan was grinning broadly, mouthing the words as Jack sang them. Even Fionn had looked up from the floor, and was regarding the all-rounder with some degree of curiosity.

_“…When you’re feeling in the dumps, don’t be silly chumps! Just purse your lips and whistle – that’s the thing!”_

As Jack began the next chorus, Ciara and some of the other joined in.

_“And always look on the bright side of life!”_ There was a cacophony of whistling, not all of which was in tune. _“Always look on the light side of life!”_

Nathan felt a smile tugging at his own lips, despite himself. The song was too cheery to not be affected by. And Jack’s enthusiasm was contagious.

_“For life is quite absurd, and death’s the final word. You must always face the curtain with a bow…”_

At this point, most of the lounge had been won over by the song. Everyone, including Fionn, didn’t look nearly as miserable as they had when they had walked in. Nearly all of the students were now swaying in time with the music, smiling pleasantly and singing along.

_What the hell,_ Nathan thought, and added his voice to the mix.

_“Always look on the bright side of life!”_ he sang, before trying in vain to whistle, only to succeed in blowing air tunelessly out of his mouth. He carried on regardless. _“Always look on the right side of life!”_

The key change took most of the less musically-savvy people by surprise, resulting in a bit of wince-inducing singing. Nevertheless, the song carried on into the final refrain.

_“Always look on the bright side of life! Always look on the bright side of life!”_

With one last, resounding chord, Jack signalled the end of the song. He received a loud round of applause from all of the students. Ciara clapped the loudest of all, and congratulated the all-rounder on his performance.

“Well done, Jack!” she called. “First time playing a guitar and he blew us all away!”

Jack smiled meekly. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” he told her.

Louise inhaled. “Well, I personally felt that the song choice was a touch inappropriate.”

Jack’s smile faded. “Oh.”

“But the sentiment behind it was nonetheless appreciated,” the journalist continued. “You want us to hold onto the hope in our hearts.”

“Th-that’s right, yeah,” Jack said, nodding.

“Now-” Louise’s next declaration was cut short when Fionn stood up abruptly from his chair.

“Jack,” he said, his eyes shining with determination, “you helped me realise something: Alex…is dead. He can’t be with us anymore.”

“He’s deceased,” Ryan added. “Passed on. He’s expired and gone to meet his maker. Bereft of life, he rests in-”

Aisling gave him a shove. “Shut up, would you?”

Fionn carried on. “There’s nothing I can do about that. There’s nothing _any_ of us can do. But, as long as we learn from our past mistakes, we can still look forward to the future.”

Jack gaped. “I’m glad you feel that way, Fionn.”

Niamh stood up alongside her friend. “Fionn’s right. What happened was a tragedy, but we shouldn’t let it destroy our hope. I feel that, if Alex was still here, that’s what he’d want. After all, there’s nothing rational in worrying about the past.”

Jack was nodding enthusiastically. “That’s right!”

Aidan pushed out a breath from between his lips. “I dunno about all this ‘hope and despair’ stuff, but the song sure cheered _me_ the fuck up.”

“Yeah, same here!” Aisling cheered. “We’re not going to let Monobear have his way anymore! Whoever he really is!”

Ryan leaped to his feet. “Let’s go! We need to learn more about our situation! I know we can do it!”

“Yeah!” Michael cried, standing up also. “I know the way around the third floor, so everyone follow me!”

And with a great deal of cheering and shouting, the students dashed out of the lounge, making for the staircase. Those who had been left behind – Jack, Nathan, Louise, Fionn, Niamh and Ciara – stared in awe at the mob as they departed.

“God, they’re fickle!” Louise commented, with a hint of amusement in her voice. “They’re like the townspeople from Shakespeare’s _Julius Caesar_.”

“I didn’t think I’d be able to persuade them that easily,” Jack said, embarrassment evident in his tone as he passed the guitar back to its owner.

Ciara placed the guitar next to her on the couch, before wagging a finger gently at him. “You shouldn’t underestimate the power of music. Nothing gets people going like a good tune.”

Niamh was aiming to follow the others, when she turned to see Fionn standing still. “Are you coming?”

Fionn hesitated. “Just…give me a minute. I’ll catch up with you.”

Niamh nodded and left.

Fionn stared down at the Ultimate All-Rounder. “I meant what I said, Jack. I had a lot of despair in me…in fact, I probably still do. But you helped me find that last bit of hope that I’d given up on ever finding. So…thanks.”

He grabbed Jack by the arm and, before the dark-haired boy could protest, pulled him out of his seat and wrapped him in a bear hug, squeezing him tightly. Jack squirmed in vain against the rugby player’s grip, his face rapidly turning purple. Just when it seemed that the all-rounder’s eyes were going to pop out from their sockets, he was released and Fionn stepped back.

“I’m grateful,” Fionn said finally, before turning around and following the other students out of the lounge.

After a few moments of silence, Nathan stared incredulously at Jack. “I can’t believe it. Your stupid plan actually worked! I wasn’t expecting _that_!”

“What can I say?” Jack spread his arms, grinning triumphantly. “I suppose it was time for something completely different.”

Nathan groaned, rolling his eyes. _“Please_ don’t start.”


	26. Chapter 4: Despair Pressure - Part 3

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

The next day was the sixteenth that they would spend in the twisted version of St. Elpis’ College that Monobear had created. The sense of despair that had settled upon the group of students had mostly dissipated thanks to Jack’s efforts. But, despite their renewed optimism, the fact remained that they were trapped in the school, with the chance of escape eluding them ever still.

Ryan’s afternoon stroll through the corridors was interrupted when he heard the distant sound of soothing music. The dancer was drawn to the sound of fingers moving smoothly over guitar strings, which drifted from the lounge. He found the Ultimate Guitarist sitting, once again, on the couch, strumming her instrument gently. She smiled when she spotted him coming in.

“Hey, Ryan. How’s it goin’?”

He shrugged in response. “Could be worse.”

He sat down opposite the guitarist, listening to the music she was playing. He became aware of all the different notes and chords, how they harmonised together to create a sombre, but gentle melody. He felt a shiver run down his spine in resonance with the beautiful music.

Ryan blinked. Had she said something?

Ciara’s mouth moved again. “Are you alright?”

He nodded. “Y-yeah. Of course.”

The guitarist smiled mysteriously. “It’s not like you to be so quiet for so long.”

Shit. How long had he been zoned-out for? Ryan rubbed his eyes tiredly and tried to come up with an excuse.

“It’s just…that song you’re playing…”

Ciara frowned as she glanced down at her own hands, moving effortlessly up and down the strings. “It’s not much of a _song_. Sometimes, when I’m feeling off, I just play whatever comes to mind. It helps me figure out how I’m really feeling.”

“But it’s good,” Ryan told her. “It…feels nice.”

She raised an eyebrow. “It ‘feels nice’? Are you _sure_ you’re okay? Is what happened to Alex still bothering you?”

Ryan winced slightly. He had only ever spoken to the Ultimate Physicist a handful of times before his death, but Ryan had nonetheless been shocked to the core by the tragic circumstances surrounding the third trial. Ryan had been putting on a brave face in front of his companions. The Ultimate Dancer knew that his constant optimism helped the others hold onto their hope. It was the same for Jack; neither of them could let their true emotions show. Ryan was used to hiding his feelings behind a mask. But now, the mask was slipping. He’d let his guard down around Ciara, and she’d caught a glimpse of his true face. What was so wrong with him that he’d been so careless? Was it really Alex’s death that had caused this?

“It’s fine,” Ciara said, after a few moments of silence. “It still scares _me_ , as well. And…I’ve also been thinking about our lost memories.”

Ryan nodded in empathy. He, too, had been pondering on the two years of his life that Monobear had taken away from him. What had happened during that time? What had St. Elpis’ been like? Had the experiences changed him, or had he stayed the same? And did any of it matter now…?

“As well as that,” Ciara went on, “I’ve been thinking. We don’t know who’s going to die next.” She chuckled briefly. “I know that’s not a very _cheerful_ thought, but it’s still true. So…I don’t want to have any more regrets. I’m going to talk to Nathan.”

Ryan’s eyebrows rose. “Oh? Is this finally happening?”

She smiled wryly. “What d’you mean _finally_? You haven’t said anything to Aidan in all this time.”

Ryan’s stomach lurched upon hearing the surfer’s name. He forced himself to stay calm and not heave his breakfast up over the carpet.

“Th-that’s different,” he insisted. “Me and Aidan…we’re not, er, compatible.”

“Why not?”

Ryan explained in the simplest terms he could. “He doesn’t like men.” He tried a grin, hoping that the guitarist would pick up on the humour. She didn’t.

“Oh,” Ciara replied, her smile fading. “That’s a shame. You two are so cute together.”

Ryan suppressed his own disappointment. “Wait, no, don’t feel bad. It’s not _that_ big of a deal.” He hadn’t wanted to upset her. After all, at times like these…

“…People need all the hope they can get,” Ryan said. “You’re right. You shouldn’t have any regrets once this is all over. Go for it with Nathan. Let me know how it goes.”

Ciara stared into the dancer’s brown eyes. “And you and Aidan?”

“We’ll be grand,” Ryan asserted. “The two of us.”

Upsetting people was usually the _last_ thing Ryan ever wanted to do. Even if that meant lying to those who trusted him. He couldn’t let his mask fall away now. Not with so many people in the audience.

 

*** 

 

Fionn took to wandering the corridors. He hadn’t gotten a chance to investigate the newly-opened floor yet. The death of Alex had left him dazed and confused. Despite everyone’s best efforts, there was only so much that could be done to help him through his grief. Nevertheless, he was somewhat pleased when he saw the Ultimate All-Rounder standing alone in the third floor corridor. Out of all of Fionn’s fellow students, Jack had been the one who’d tried his hardest to comfort the rugby player. The all-rounder’s empathy made him a natural leader, and a good friend to have at any time.

Jack was standing before a large, wooden door, with a brass sign marked “Principal’s Office”. He was staring intensely at the door, with an expression the Fionn wasn’t accustomed to seeing on that face. Was it anger? Or sorrow? Maybe even fear?

“Hey, Jack?” Fionn called out hesitantly to the all-rounder, who practically jumped on the spot and whirled around to face the approaching rugby player.

“O-oh! Hi, Fionn.” Jack fixed a smile onto his face. “How’re things?”

He shrugged. “Better than they _were_.”

Jack nodded. “I understand. It’s not just going to get better overnight. These sorts of things never do.”

Fionn regarded the other boy for a moment. He sounded as though he spoke from experience. “You still upset about Gráinne?”

Jack was silent for a full five seconds before answering. “Not just her; I miss all of them. Alex, Ellie, Orlagh, even Seán and Deirdre. They were meant to leave this place, along with us. But now, we have to live on in hope, without them. It’s…difficult to live like this.”

FIonn raised an eyebrow. “I thought you _liked_ hope?”

Jack looked away. “Only because it’s better than the alternative.”

“Despair,” Fionn murmured.

“Giving into despair is something anybody can do. It’s easy, and tempting, too. Like the Dark Side of the Force. We, as the Ultimate Students, have to outshine the ordinary people and hold onto hope at all costs.”

“…You make it sound like we’re better than them,” Fionn muttered, barely loud enough for the Ultimate All-Rounder to hear.

Jack sighed. “That’s not what I meant. We were chosen by St. Elpis’ College as paragons of hope, weren’t we? We have to live up to the standards as set by the school.”

“Does that stuff even matter anymore?”

“Of _course_ it does. It’s times like these, when despair lurks in the background, that hope needs to shine brighter than ever.” Jack paused. “That’s what I think, anyway.”

Fionn shrugged, unable to contribute anything to the all-rounder’s philosophical musings. “If you say so.” He decided to change the subject. “So, why are you standing outside this office?”

Jack became silent once again before he responded. “I…I want to see what’s inside.”

Fionn made a sound that was midway between a laugh and a grunt. “I think we _all_ want to see that.”

But Jack made no reply. He only stared intently at the great, wooden door, as though trying to bore through it with his glare alone.

Fionn said, “You know, if you want, we could probably barge through it. Break the lock.”

Jack shook his head. “Remember what happened after the first trial? Monobear made a new rule: _Any student caught breaking into a closed-off area will be severely disciplined._ ”

“Fuck.” Fionn rolled his eyes. “Just our luck. I don’t think we’d want Monobear coming across us if we were trying to break down the door.”

Jack blinked. “…Hold on a minute. What did you just say?”

“Er, I was saying that we wouldn’t want Monobear coming along when we’re trying to break down the door?”

A small, conniving smile crept across Jack’s lips. “I think you might’ve just given me a brilliant idea, Fionn.”

“Oh…really?”

“Yeah.” Jack finally turned away from the door and strolling past Fionn. “Come on, we need to find the lads and tell them.”

Fionn mutely trailed behind, wondering what the hell Jack was planning, exactly. Regardless, the all-rounder was intelligent and capable, for the most part. Fionn would follow him, no matter what the future had in store.

Just as Jack was reaching the stairwell, he called back to Fionn, “And if the plan succeeds, you can even give me another hug.”

Fionn clenched his fist in triumph. The Ultimate All-Rounder knew him too well.

 

***

 

Aisling pressed her face against the glass, staring down through the window at the swimming pool on the floor below. After breakfast, she’d almost naturally gravitated to this spot. After all, the pool had been all she could think about last night. Those thoughts had lingered with her in her sleep, and now they were more forceful than ever. And the memories from the night before…

She shook her head. She needed to get over it. She’d made the right choice. But, even still, the images wouldn’t leave her mind. She grumbled in frustration, almost jumping out of her skin when a voice called from behind her.

“Everything alright?”

Aisling whirled around to see the Ultimate Journalist strolling casually towards her. The boxer nodded hurriedly, trying once again to dismiss her persistent feelings.

“Yep! I’m grand!”

Louise folded her arms.

Aisling’s right eye twitched.

“Are you _sure_?” the journalist asked.

Aisling knew there was no point in keeping up the lie. “Sorry. But, I mean, it’s nothing _serious_.”

“Nonetheless,” Louise said, as she approached the girl, “it’s clearly bothering you. If you want to tell me about it, I’m here. I have been told that I’m a good listener.”

Aisling regarded the other girl for a few moments. She had hardly ever spoken to the journalist before. She remembered an interview she’d been forced into shortly after their awakening in St. Elpis’, but, apart from that, their interaction had been minimal. Could she trust Louise with something like this?

“Well…” Aisling grimaced. “It’s…a bit embarrassing.”

“That’s alright,” Louise reassured her. “I won’t tell anyone. I’ll even cross my heart.” She promptly did so. “You see? I’m perfectly trustworthy.”

The Ultimate Boxer smiled, despite herself. “Thanks, but…” She hesitated even still.

Louise sighed. “Very well. I can see there must be an element of give-and-take in this relationship.” The Ultimate Journalist inhaled, drawing herself up to her fullest height, and said, “The first boy I ever kissed came out of the closet the next day.”

Aisling winced. “Jesus.”

“I know,” Louise said, with a sad smile. “He even told me that I’d helped him make the decision.”

“Ugh.”

“I know,” Louise repeated.

Aisling bit her lip, before nodding. “Alright, fair is fair. You see, last night, before I went to bed, I decided to go for a swim.”

The journalist’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah. I hadn’t been in a while, and I didn’t think there’d be anyone around after Night Time had started…”

 

_Aisling crept into the changing room, glancing nervously around. She needn’t have bothered. After all, it was nearly eleven o’clock in the evening. Everyone in their right mind would be in their room at this hour._

_She set down her towel and undressed. She discarded her shorts and her top, leaving them on the bench. She’d worn her bikini underneath her clothes, allowing her to simply wander out of the changing room immediately._

_Suddenly, she heard the sounds of splashing water and echoing voices, and her stomach lurched._

Who the hell could be here? _she wondered._

_She stepped out into the huge room that contained the swimming pool. What she saw at that moment, she would never forget._

_There were two boys in the pool. One, a short boy with ginger hair, had his back to her. His arms were stretched up over his head, as though reaching out for something far above. Muscles bulged in his exposed flesh. The other boy was turned slightly to the side, not looking directly towards her. His dark hair, which was so usually gelled into spikes, had been flattened by the water and was now hanging down lackadaisically in front of his face. He, too, was reaching up out of the water, but in his hands was a small, yellow ball. His bare torso was on display, and Aisling’s eyes were drawn to all the little ridges and grooves._

_“Ready?” Ryan called, before launching the ball through the air, towards Aidan._

_Aidan realised that the dancer had overshot. He crouched down in the water, before pushing himself up off the floor and rocketing up out of the water. With a flick of his legs, he gained enough height to catch the ball. But, as soon as his body left the water, he heard a strangled yelp from behind him. When he landed, he twisted around to see none other than Aisling Taggart standing near the edge of the pool, looking thoroughly mortified._

_Ryan spotted her, too, and gave her a wave. “How’s it going, Ash?”_

_Aisling didn’t know where to look. The water only came up to the boys’ waists, and the level of chlorine in the pool meant that the water was practically transparent. She felt her face burn red-hot._

_“Wh-wh-what the hell are you two_ doing _?!” she hollered, her voice bordering on falsetto._

_Aidan held up the yellow ball. “We’re playin’ water polo.”_

_“With only two people,” Ryan added helpfully._

_“I can_ see _that!” the boxer snapped. “But why are you_ naked _?!”_

_Ryan spread his arms, sending droplets of water scattering. “Why_ not _?” he retorted._

_Aisling wanted to point out how suspicious it was that two teenage lads were playing sport together naked, in a swimming pool, in the middle of the night. Especially seeing as, according to Aidan, they were ‘just friends’. But the blank looks they were giving her, coupled with the sheer humiliation she felt as having come across this scene, meant that all she could do was open and close her mouth soundlessly._

_While Ryan had clasped his hands behind his head, grinning cheekily, only Aidan had the self-consciousness to preserve his modesty. He hunkered down in the water, placing his hands over his crotch. “What are you doin’ here, anyway, Aisling?” He tried to cover his embarrassment with a wry grin._

_“I…I…was_ going _to go for a swim,” she told them, a touch defensively._

_Ryan jerked his head. “Come on, then. The water’s warm.”_

_If it were even possible, the boxer’s face turned even redder than before. “Wh-what?!” she squeaked._

_“Fionn was supposed to join us,” Aidan explained. “He usually comes with us when we swim here. But we haven’t seen much of him since…well, the last trial. I doubt he’s goin’ to come back for a while.”_

_The surfer’s words caused Aisling to imagine the Ultimate Rugby Star in the swimming pool, along with them. She blinked furiously, trying to dispel the image._

_“Come_ on _,” Ryan nagged her. “Two’s a couple, but three’s a party! Just a few rounds of water polo?”_

_Aidan quirked an eyebrow at her. Aisling couldn’t help letting her gaze move slowly down the surfer’s body, lingering on the areas that were unable to be fully concealed by his hands. She then moved onto Ryan, who wasn’t even trying to hide his nakedness. Despite having spent so much time with him in his dancing lessons, she’d never quite realised just how…well-built he was. The last time she’d seen him so exposed was the first day the swimming pool had been opened. He’d spent some time eyeing her up, much to her chagrin. But now, the situation had been reversed. And how was_ he _reacting? By striking poses and winking repeatedly at her._

_She shook her head. She couldn’t believe she’d almost let herself be taken in._

_“Get a life,” she told them. “I’m not going to skinny dip with you two.”_

_“Even if you’d enjoy it?” Ryan asked._

_Aisling gritted her teeth. “Piss off.”_

_She turned on her heel and marched back into the changing room, furious. As she was leaving, she heard a disappointed sigh from behind her, but she refused to look back. The boxer pulled her clothes back on and practically stomped back to her bedroom._

Louise frowned. “My goodness. That _is_ an interesting story.”

Aisling sighed, resting her head in her hand. “I can’t even believe that it happened. I kind of hope it was just a dream, but…”

“You’re certain that it really happened,” Louise confirmed, and the Ultimate Boxer nodded.

“I’m so embarrassed,” she whispered. “How am I supposed to face those two lads after that?”

Louise smiled wryly. “I have a feeling that, out of all the boys in here with us, those two are the one’s who’d be the _least_ concerned by a girl seeing them naked.”

“That’s…not what I’m worried about.”

“Oh?”

“I…” Aisling swallowed deeply. “I…nearly did it.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I nearly went through with it, you know? Getting into the pool, I mean.” Her face began to turn red once more. “If I’d gotten in, who knows what would’ve happened? And…I…can’t stop thinking about it,” she admitted, with an air of exasperation.

“…So?” Louise folded her arms. “You’re only human. It’s natural for a person to think about ‘what if’s and ‘maybe’s.”

Aisling covered her face with her hands. “But I wanted it. Just seeing them there, in the water, it made me want to…”

“And what’s wrong with that?” Louise huffed. “Any normal, healthy and heterosexual young girl would’ve felt the same. If _I_ had been in your shoes, I could’ve acted in a similar way.”

“It…it made me feel like…a slut.”

“Nonsense. You shouldn’t be so quick to judge yourself. You’re not a slut just because you thought about sex.” Louise tutted. “Honestly, Aisling. You need to be more mature.”

Aisling took a deep, calming breath. “It’s not that. I have a boyfriend.”

Louise faltered. “I…see.”

“And, if I had followed through with all that, I’d be cheating on him. But, once I saw Ryan and Aidan in that pool, I barely even considered him.”

“We all have our moments of weakness,” Louise said. “The fact that you remained faithful shows that you’re strong. You can overcome your own weakness.”

Aisling blinked. “R-really?”

Lousie smiled warmly. “Absolutely. Now, come on. Cheer up. It’s not like you to be so down in the dumps.”

Aisling nodded, a bright smile finally appearing on her face once more. “Thanks, Louise.”

“Think nothing of it.”

The two girls spent some time chatting, only ceasing conversation when Jack Jones came hurtling down the corridor, shouting something about a meeting in the refectory. They decided to follow him downstairs.


	27. Chapter 4: Despair Pressure - Part 4

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

Nathan shivered as he stood in the cold storage room, behind the refectory. He’d never been inside the room before, and for a good reason. He’d only arrived a minute before, and he was already sniffling. The others were here, too, standing around the room and looking just as uncomfortable as _he_ did. Why had Jack suddenly called them all into this place? Presently, the Ultimate All-Rounder was standing by the door and addressing the gathered students.

“Sorry for bringing you here on such short notice,” he was saying. “But there’s something we need to discuss.”

“What are we doing in _here_?” Ciara asked, through chattering teeth. “What’s going on?”

“Couldn’t we just talk in the lounge instead?” Ryan whinged.

“There are cameras in the lounge,” Jack informed them. “Unlike in here. As far as I know, this place is one of the only rooms in the building where there aren’t any cameras. Anyway, I need to talk to you about something important.” He looked furtively around the freezing room, as though making sure everyone was present, before leaning in and whispering, “It’s about the office on the third floor.”

“The one that’s locked?” Aisling piped up, in her typically-loud voice.

“Shh!” Jack placed a hurried finger to her lips, his eyes widening slightly. “We don’t want the mastermind to overhear us.”

Nathan raised an eyebrow in amusement. “So you’re trying to avoid suspicion by…gathering us all in a single location and telling us to whisper?”

“I couldn’t think of any other way,” Jack said, with an apologetic look. “Not on short notice.”

“So, what about the office?” Ciara asked.

“Right.” Jack gave another covert look around the room. “We’re going to break in.”

Louise was the first to speak after the silence that followed Jack’s words. “Isn’t there a rule about this sort of thing?”

“ _Any student caught breaking into a closed-off area will be severely disciplined_ ,” Niamh recited.

“D’you think when he says _disciplined_ he means the same thing as _punished_?” Michael asked, obviously thinking of the murderers’ fates after the trials.

“Probably,” Jack admitted, nodding slightly. “But I think I’ve found a loophole in the rule. Actually, Fionn gave me the idea.”

“Did I?”

“You sure did,” Jack told the rugby star. “It was what you said to me earlier: ‘I don’t think we’d want Monobear coming across us if we were trying to break down the door’. That’s it.”

“What’s it?” Fionn muttered. “I don’t get it.”

Jack explained, “The rule is very specific; _any student caught breaking into a closed-off area will be severely disciplined._ The key word is _caught_. The rule is only considered to be broken if someone is found actively trying to get into a closed-off area.”

Ryan grinned. “I see what you’re saying: if you don’t get caught, you don’t get punished.”

“Exactly.”

“And why do you expect _Monobear_ , of all people, to play by the rules?” Nathan asked the all-rounder.

“Because that’s what he’s done so far,” Jack pointed out in response. “Whatever sick person is controlling that thing, they’ve stuck to the rules they established for us just as much as we’ve been made to.”

“Interesting,” Louise murmured. “So, how do you propose we avoid being discovered? There are security cameras all along the corridors, even on the third floor. How are we to perform this task?”

“It’s simple. We provide some distraction.” Jack’s voice remained low, but the excitement was palpable in his tone. “The mastermind is only human, after all; they can’t do everything at once. If we all spread out across the school, before each causing some sort of diversion, the mastermind won’t know which one to target. While that’s going on, I’ll break into the office.” He leaned back, looking pleased with himself. “Any questions?”

Aidan raised a hand half-heartedly. “Yeah, I’ve got one. How are you going to break in?”

“There’s a toolbox in each of the lads’ rooms, remember? As it turns out, I can use those tools to pick the lock.”

“The Ultimate All-Rounder does it again,” Ryan said wryly.

“What kind of _distractions_ did you have in mind?” Nathan asked.

“Monobear told us he’d appear if someone called his name, right? So, if we all call him at the same time, from different parts of the school…”

“He’ll have to pick one of us,” Michael continued. “And while Monobear’s runnin’ around like a headless chicken, Jack can sneak into that office.” He beamed. “That’s brilliant!”

“Not if it backfires,” Nathan pointed out. “If Aidan’s right, and execution is the punishment for breaking that school rule, then Jack is gambling with his own life.”

“But, if we succeed,” Jack interjected, “then we can see what’s inside the principal’s office.”

“And _then_ what?” Nathan heard his own voice rise. “What do we do then? What’s inside that office that you’re so desperate to get in there?”

Jack flinched. “We…we might find some clues about what happened to us. Maybe we’ll even learn more about who the mastermind really is.”

“ _Maybe_ , he says,” Nathan scoffed. “You haven’t a notion what’ll be inside that office. If the mastermind is as sly as they seem to be, they’ll have taken anything important out.”

“Then why lock the door?” Louise asked. “Why would Monobear – or the mastermind – go to such lengths just to keep us out of an empty room?”

“The fact that the door is locked in enough reason for us to want to open it,” Jack said firmly,

Aidan frowned at Nathan. “Why are _you_ so against this idea?”

Nathan’s angry gaze dropped to the floor. “I just…I don’t want anybody dying just because of baseless curiosity. I don’t want anybody to die at _all_.”

“It’s okay, Nathan.” Jack walked over to the Ultimate Lucky Student. “No one will be hurt. We’re going to succeed. I promise.” He placed a reassuring hand on the other boy’s shoulder. “I have trust in you. And everyone else, too. If we all work together, we can beat the mastermind.”

Nathan didn’t meet Jack’s eye, but he heard the other students start to voice their assent.

“Let’s do it,” Ryan cheered, before quickly lowering his voice. “I mean, let’s do it.”

“Yeah,” Aisling said. “Let’s.”

“We’re countin’ on you, Jack,” Michael whispered.

“Don’t fuck up,” Aidan advised him.

“Well, Nate?”

Nathan sighed, shrugging out of the Ultimate All-Rounder’s grip. “Alright. I’ll help. But not because of your cheesy, _trust_ codology. If Jack’s going down, we’re all going down with him.”

Ryan smirked. “You had me at _going down_.”

 

*** 

 

A few hours later, at the appointed time, Nathan met up with Jack on the third floor. It was Night Time, and the halls of St. Elpis’ were more silent now than ever. When the all-rounder saw his friend coming, he smiled and waved him over.

“I can’t believe you roped me into this,” Nathan muttered as he joined the other boy.

“Dunno what you’re on about.” Jack’s eyes flickered briefly to the closest camera. “D’you want to come for a walk?” He raised an eyebrow.

Nathan threw his hands up in exasperation. “Yes. I would like to go for a ‘walk’.”

They took a stroll down the corridor, trying to look as casual as they possibly could. In doing so, Nathan realised, they couldn’t have looked more suspicious.

Fortunately for them both, there was a sound from somewhere else in the building. One that sounded like a familiar voice, calling out a name.

“Monobear…!”

Moments later, another voice called out the same name, the noise emanating from elsewhere in the school.

Jack gave Nathan a meaningful look, and they increased the pace of their walk. Less than a minute later, they were standing outside the door to the Principal’s Office. A quick glance up and down the corridor told them that they were alone: no sign of any bears of any kind.

Jack knelt down in front of the door, retrieving a strange-looking tool from his pocket and inserting it into the lock. He fiddled patiently with the object, while Nathan stood with his back to the door, keeping watch. After a few moments, he noticed something peculiar. The security cameras around the school rarely ever deviated from their set positions. They each had a room or corridor to examine, and they almost never moved away to examine anything else.

So why was this corridor’s camera now focused squarely on the two boys in front of the door?

Too late, Nathan realised the danger. “Jack!”

But another voice drowned out his warning. “Well, well, well! What’s _this_ , now?”

Monobear bounded into Nathan’s field of vision as Jack spun away from the door, hurriedly trying to conceal the makeshift lockpick.

“If I’m not mistaken, you folks were trying to break into that room!” Monobear crowed. “That’s in direct violation of the school rules! And, what’s more, you coerced your poor, innocent schoolmates into helping you out!”

“I…I didn’t _coerce_ anyone!” Jack protested.

“Like I care!” the angry bear shot back. “I clearly saw you trying to pick that lock, you know! I hope you’re ready for some _serious_ punishment!”

Nathan blurted out, “Wait!”

One of Monobear’s robotic eyes seemed to twitch. “What? What do you want? Can’t you see I’m a busy bear?”

“I-it’s just that…” He swallowed, hoping that his idea would work. “The school rule that Jack supposedly broke only states that ‘any student caught breaking into a closed-off area will be severely disciplined’, right? But…Jack never _actually_ broke into the office.”

Nathan nodded towards the office door, which remained firmly shut. “I mean, he _tried_ to pick the lock, but did he succeed? Not at all. In other words, he hasn’t broken the rule.”

The cold, hateful glare that Monobear gave him sent shivers down his spine. “You _seriously_ expect me to go along with that flimsy logic? Well, do ya?! You’re on shaky ground, Mr. Murphy, and you know it!”

Nathan felt himself break out in a cold sweat, but he decided to hold his ground…for Jack’s sake. “…Yes. I stand by my claim that Jack has committed no violation of the school rules here, tonight.”

Jack gaped, looking from the boy to the bear, wondering which one would crack first.

Monobear had a deep scowl etched on his face. “You know, Nathan, I didn’t expect this from you at all. Part of me wants to punish you along with Jack for being a smug, little brat.” He gritted his sharp teeth. “But another part wants to let you off for having the balls to say what you’ve just said right to my face.”

Nathan stared down the bear, trying desperately not to show how terrified he really was.

Suddenly, Monobear’s mechanical gaze flickered over to Jack, and a sinister grin spread across his face. “Well…since this would’ve been your first offence, anyway…I might just let you off the hook.”

Jack blinked. “S-seriously?!”

“Sure, why not?” Monobear’s red eye glinted in the gloom of the corridor. “It would be a shame to put an end to your little game so soon, Jack.”

The all-rounder stiffened. “…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Upupu… _sure_ you don’t. Let me just say, you’re both so lucky to have friends you’ve got your back.” Monobear’s grin turned feral. “But it’s those very friends who’ll stab you in the back when you least expect it! Upupupupu!”

With that characteristic laugh, Monobear made to disappear.

“W-wait!” Nathan cried, hearing the hoarseness in his own voice. “One more thing, please!”

Monobear reappeared with his familiar scowl. “Aw, come _on_! That was such a cool exit! But you had to go and spoil it on me!”

“I just want to know one last thing. How did you know we were going to try and break into the office? You should’ve responded when the others called you, but you came for _us_ instead. There weren’t any cameras in the storage room, so how did you find out about the plan?”

“Ohhhh, _that_.” Monobear waved a paw dismissively. “It’s fine. One of you guys told me.”

Jack gasped. “What?!”

“Didn’t you know? I can’t keep an eye on _everything_ that happens in this place all by myself. I’m just one bear, after all! To that end, I have a spy on the inside – a mole, if you will. They act as my eyes and ears among you folks, and they report everything to me.” Monobear giggled. “Upupu. Who would’ve thought there’d be a traitor in your group? A wolf among the sheep? A fox among the hens?” With yet another diabolical laugh, Monobear departed for good.

Nathan felt his body tremble, and he collapsed to the floor. “I…I can’t believe that worked. I thought we were both screwed!” He let out a shaky laugh, glancing up at Jack as he did so. The laugh died on his lips as he saw the all-rounder’s ashen face.

“J-Jack…?”

“C-can it be true?” Jack whispered. “One of us…is a spy for the mastermind?”

Nathan frowned. “I…don’t know. It didn’t seem like Monobear was lying to us.”

“But, I mean, how could one of _us_ be a mole?” Jack breathed. “I…I trust them.”

“It _is_ hard to believe that someone’s been working for the mastermind all this time without anybody else noticing,” Nathan admitted, before another thought struck him. “Hey, Jack, what did Monobear mean by your _little game_?”

Jack froze, his expression changing so briefly and so subtly that the Ultimate Lucky Student would barely have even noticed if he hadn’t been staring so intently at the all-rounder’s face.

“That’s…nothing important,” Jack whispered.

Nathan gave him a suspicious look. “Are you sure?”

Jack nodded, looking his friend straight in this eye and saying, “Yes. I’m certain.”

Nathan took a breath, before also nodding. “Alright, then. I’m going to bed. See you in the morning.”

“Yeah. See you.”

As Nathan made to leave, he glanced back once again. “Jack. I trust you. So does everyone else. Remember that.”

And then he was gone, turning his back on the Ultimate All-Rounder, and thus missing the look of sheer hurt and shame that crossed Jack’s face.

 

***

 

When Nathan entered the refectory the next morning, on the seventeenth day since their awakening, he found most of the students already present, having their breakfast. Michael and Aisling, in particular, leapt out of their seats when they saw the Ultimate Lucky Student walk in.

“Well?” Aisling demanded. “What happened?”

“Monobear didn’t come to any of us when we called him. Did you get into the office, in the end?” Michael asked.

Nathan sighed and shook his head, preparing himself for the explanation ahead. “No. Monobear knew all along what we were planning, so he was able to catch us in the act.”

Louise clapped a hand over her mouth. “Then…is Jack…?”

“No, we managed to worm our way out of a punishment. Somehow,” he added.

“But how’d Monobear know about the plan?” asked Aidan. “We were hidin’ in that room back there, weren’t we? There aren’t any cameras in there.”

Nathan gritted his teeth. He didn’t like was he was going to have to say next. “He…Monobear said that one of _us_ told him.”

It took a moment for the meaning of his words to sink in.

Ciara spoke first. “You mean…someone betrayed us?”

“According to Monobear,” Nathan said tentatively, “someone’s been spying on us for the mastermind from the very beginning.”

Michael had an uncharacteristic frown etched on his face. “Then, chances are, it’s someone in this room.”

Everyone looked around the refectory, glancing briefly at one another, before dropping their gaze to their shoes, ashamed of having suspected their friends.

After a moment, Niamh said, “How do we know that Monobear is telling the truth?”

Nathan spread his arms, palms upward. “We don’t. He _could_ just be trying to make us turn against each other again.”

“This might be his idea of another incentive for murder,” Nimah murmured, pondering quietly.

“But we have no way of knowing who the spy is,” Ciara protested. “Surely that’s no reason to fight each other?”

“I was _just_ thinking the same thing!”

The students jumped and some of them cried out as Monobear appeared with a flourish atop the dining table.

Aidan was the first to recover, resuming his mildly-relaxed state. “Piss off, Monobear.”

“What, after all the hard work I did in coming up with a _genius_ , new incentive for the next murder?” Monobear pouted. “You guys are so harsh. Teenagers these days have no empathy.”

“I agree with Aidan,” Fionn said. “Piss off.”

Monobear tutted, wagging a clawed finger at them all. “Not a chance. I’m staying here until you losers hear the incentive.”

Nathan rolled his eyes. “We don’t want to hear _anything_ you have to say. Why don’t you just-”

“You dumbasses think you actually have a _choice_ in this matter?!” Monobear roared, his mouth opening wide and revealing his sharpened teeth. “You’re gonna hear this incentive, and there’s not a single, goddamned thing you can do about it!”

Taken aback by the bear’s sudden fit of anger, the students were silent for long enough to allow him to say his piece.

“Now, then.” Monobear pretended to clear his throat. “Ahem! Whosoever kills their fellow student next will receive a massive sum of cash. On top of that, they’ll also become the proud owner of a colossal mansion in the tropical region of their choice! But wait, there’s more! I’m throwing in a fantabulous, luxury sports car for absolutely _free_! Don’t miss out; this is a one-time offer!”

Aidan smirked. “Is that the best you could come up with?”

“Not really a _genius_ incentive, is it?” Michael snarked.

“Hey, shaddup, you little shits!” Monobear snapped. “I don’t tell you how to do _your_ jobs, do I?”

“You’re appealing to our selfish natures, I see,” Louise commented.

“That’s not _entirely_ true,” Monobear chirped. “After all, once that sum of money is yours, you can do whatever you want with it. You can donate it all to charity if you want!”

“What about the mansion, then?” Ciara asked. “How is _that_ not a selfish wish?”

“Maybe you could turn it into a super-fancy homeless shelter? Or an orphanage?” Monobear paused in thought. “And hell, you could even give the sports car to some needy Third World family.” He flapped his arms. “Whatever! I don’t care; I’ve said what I need to. Monobear, out!”

He vanished, leaving an uncomfortable silence behind. Nathan knew that no one liked the thought of continuing this bloody game of Monobear’s. If you could even call something so horrible a ‘game’.

“Why is this still happening?” Ryan whispered. “What have we done to deserve this?”

Aidan eyed his friend. “Eh, Ryan? Are you alright, man?”

Ryan didn’t even bother meeting the surfer’s eye. He just stared down at the table before him. The Ultimate Dancer’s usual vigour had evaporated, disappearing along with Monobear.

“C-come on,” Aidan tried to encourage him. “Stay cool, mate. Don’t lose hope now.”

Louise glanced around the great room. “Speaking of ‘hope’, where’s Jack? It’s not like him to skip breakfast.”

“He…didn’t take the news too well,” Nathan told her. “You know, the whole ‘traitor’ thing. When Monobear told us about it, Jack…he started acting differently.”

Michael frowned, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. “What do you mean?”

“I…” Nathan recalled the scene from the night before. Once he found out about the mole in the group, he changed. He wasn’t the Ultimate All-Rounder Nathan was used to. What about the things Monobear had said had caused him to transform like that? And what’s more, the bear had mentioned a ‘game’ of Jack’s. What had he meant? Aloud, Nathan had decided to give his friend the benefit of the doubt. But, on the inside, he didn’t really know what to believe.

“Maybe he’s just afraid,” Fionn muttered. “Wouldn’t blame him, honestly.”

“I can’t imagine much scaring _him_ ,” Ciara admitted.

“But that would explain why he’s currently missing,” Niamh said. “He doesn’t want to show weakness in front of us.”

“So he’s being prideful, is he?” Louise sniffed.

“…If that’s what you want to call it.”

Nathan scowled. “He’s not being ‘prideful’.”

Fionn had a similar expression. “Don’t bitch about him when he’s not around to defend himself.”

Niamh flinched. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

But Louise was slower to back down. “If he doesn’t want to show weakness, then why is he hiding his face from us like this? A true leader must be strong, capable…”

Ryan sighed angrily. “Just shut the fuck up, would you? Jack’s done more for us than _you_ ever have. What right do you have to talk about him like that?”

Louise opened her mouth, but her scathing comment was cut off when Michael slammed his hands down on the table and snapped, “Be quiet! The both of ye!”

Everyone’s heads turned to look at the vet; it was the first time they had ever heard him raise his voice in anger.

Michael swallowed nervously, regretting his outburst. But it needed to be said. “Th-this is what Monobear wants. He wouldn’t have told us about the spy if he wasn’t tryin’ to make us fight each other. And ye’re just actin’ exactly how he _wants_ ye to.”

Niamh nodded. “Michael’s right. We shouldn’t be fighting amongst ourselves like this. If anything, we should be working together, _against_ the mastermind.”

Louise and Ryan glared furiously at each other even still. Of the pair of them, the Ultimate Dancer was the first one to break eye-contact. He dropped his gaze and huffed.

“Fuck this,” he muttered, and shoved himself away from the table. He practically leaped up off of his chair and stormed off, making for the doors.

Aidan called out, “Ryan, I’ll see you later.”

Ryan froze, before nodding, and carrying on out the door without looking back. It seemed to Nathan that Jack wasn’t the only one afraid of showing weakness.

One-by-one, most of the other students left the refectory. They shuffled lifelessly through the double doors, as though bereft of any vitality. Jack never arrived in the dining hall that morning.

So lost was he in his daze that Nathan didn’t realise how many were left in the refectory until the doors swung shut for a final time, leaving himself alone in the hall with none other than the Ultimate Guitarist.

He leaped to his feet. “I’d better go, too.” He made to turn away, but she called his name.

“Nathan, hold on.” He didn’t turn around, but he heard her feet tapping on the tiled floor, drawing closer with every step. They stopped only a few metres behind him.

“I want to talk. Please?”

Nathan took a deep breath, held it, and turned around to face the girl. He nodded. “Yeah. Okay.”

Ciara looked the Ultimate Lucky Student up and down, taking in his uncomfortable body language. “Have you been avoiding me?”

The way she said it, as well as her expression, made it clear that she already knew the answer to that question. Nathan supposed there was no point in lying to her.

“…Yeah, I have.”

“Is it because of what happened in the lounge that night?”

Nathan didn’t meet her eye. “Y-yeah. Kind of.”

“What d’you mean, _kind of_?” she asked, with a hint of curiosity.

He gulped. “W-well…”

His hesitation made the guitarist back off a bit. “Sorry. But, if you don’t like me, all you have to do is tell me. You didn’t have to blank me.”

Nathan shook his head hurriedly. “N-no, no, that’s…I…” He tried to take a calming breath. “I…I _do_ like you. A lot. But, I mean…is now _really_ the time and place to be, eh, having that kind of a relationship?”

Ciara remained silent as Nathan continued on with his little speech.

“And whenever I thought about saying something to you, telling you how I felt, I just ended up thinking of what happened with Jack and Gráinne. And then again with Fionn and Alex. I don’t want…I don’t want to get so close to you just to lose you so suddenly. I couldn’t handle it.”

Nathan became aware of how erratic his breathing had become. As he tried to calm himself down yet again, Ciara took a few steps closer.

“I think I understand,” she said. “But…you could look at it another way.”

“Er, another way?” he echoed.

“Yeah. If one of us could die at any time, we might want to make the most of the time we have left.”

She was even closer now. This was the closest she’d been to him since they…since they’d…

“I…never thought of it like that,” Nathan mumbled.

She smiled. “Really? And they told me you were a cynic.”

A wry grin twisted his lips. “Who told you that?”

She was close enough now that he could hear her even when she whispered, “A friend of a friend.”

Nathan rolled his eyes. “If you mean Jack, you can tell him to go fu-”

She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him into her embrace, before clamping her mouth down over his. He froze, taken by surprise, before slowly relaxing and easing into her arms. His own arms rose hesitantly, unsure of where to cling to. He settled for wrapping them around her back, leaning forward ever so slightly as he did. He realised he’d forgotten to take a breath, and he broke away from her, gasping loudly for air. He thought about how stupid he must have sounded, and he nearly turned away from her in embarassment. But Ciara brought her hands to the side of his face and pushed his head back towards her own, and they kissed again.

Now that he was sober this time around, Nathan was more aware of the various sensations that accompanied the kiss. He could feel the soft touch of Ciara’s hair brushing against his forehead. He could smell her perfume. He could even feel her heart beating through her chest. And now that they didn’t have a rowdy audience present, Nathan felt as though he could savour the moment. He pulled the guitarist in, holding her closer. Just like before, Ciara bit down softly on his bottom lip. And, again, he gasped and broke the kiss. But now, he wasn’t forced to push her away. So he kissed her again, hungrily. The pace of his breathing increased, and he felt her tongue probing around inside his mouth. He noticed that her heartbeat, in turn, had quickened. His hands snaked down her back, past her waist, feeling the shape of her body. To his surprise, and disappointment, she pulled away from him. He opened his mouth to apologise, but she brought her head in close again. This time, she lunged for his throat, and his half-formed apology came out as a startled groan as her lips gently pressed against the skin of his neck. He tilted his head back, enjoying the sensation.

“You like that?” she whispered.

He nodded, hardly able to form a coherent reply. “Mmm.”

“So…what do you think?” she asked, as she pulled away. “Will we give it a go? You and me?”

“Together?” he murmured, pondering the idea. No girl had ever shown this much interest in him before in his life. And now, with things the way they were, he even didn’t know if he was ready for a relationship.

But seeing Ciara smiling gently at him, causing his stomach to flutter and his heart to pound, made him want to forget about his doubts and place his trust in her. And, after all, her lips were so soft…

He smiled. “Sure. Let’s do it.”

She beamed at him, and they leaned in for another kiss. After a few more minutes, Nathan became uncomfortably aware of where they were: standing alone together in the middle of the refectory. It made him feel somewhat exposed.

“So, eh…I was wondering if you wanted to go back to my room?” he blurted out.

She giggled. “Already? We’ve only been going out for, like, two minutes.”

His face burned bright red. “I-I didn’t mean it like _that_.”

But she laughed even harder. “I’m only messing. Come on, let’s go to your room, so.”

He blinked in surprise. His stunned expression slipped into a pleased grin. Together, the Ultimate Guitarist and the Ultimate Lucky Student walked hand-in-hand out of the refectory. And, for the first time in what felt like ages, Nathan Murphy was happy.


	28. Chapter 4: Despair Pressure - Part 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things get a bit explicit towards the end of this chapter. Just a warning.

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

In times of sadness, frustration, or even when she just needed a good book to settle her down, Niamh always visited her local library. As such, ever since she’d arrived in the mastermind’s prison, Niamh had frequented the one on the first floor. After all, it had an extensive collection of books on mathematics – a subject close to her heart. The world of maths was abstract and intriguing enough to her that it could just pull her away from her concerns and troubles. And now, more than ever, she needed that escape.

Like everyone else, Niamh was frightened and confused by the knowledge that a spy existed within their group. Who could it be? And why would they do such a thing? Had they been coerced by Monobear into doing his bidding? Or had they been on the mastermind’s side from the very start? And, worst of all, which one of her friends was a traitor? No matter how hard she tried to submerge those dark thoughts under a sea of calculations and theorems, they would not stay down for long.

Halfway through a chapter on multivariable calculus, Niamh sighed and lightly tossed the book she had chosen aside. It wasn’t helping. She rubbed her face with her hands and tried to stay focused. Alex wasn’t here to reassure her with his calm and steady voice anymore. She had to rely on herself, especially now that any one of her companions could betray her.

She flinched. Had she truly just thought that? Maybe the despair had begun to affect her, too? What did all of this mean for them? How much longer could they last in this awful place without being driven mad by despair? And that was _if_ the murders ever stopped.

With her hands over her eyes, Niamh didn’t notice the other person approaching until they called out to her.

“Are you alright, Niamh?”

Niamh slowly peeled her hands away from her face to see the Ultimate Journalist standing over her, looking rather concerned.

“Oh, er…yes. I’m fine,” Niamh replied, in what she hoped was a reassuring tone.

But Louise knew the Ultimate Model too well to be fooled by her false pretences. She tutted and sat down on the chair across from Niamh. “You shouldn’t lie. Especially not to your friends.”

Niamh sighed. “…You’re right. I just didn’t want you to worry.”

“ _Me?_ Worry?” Louise giggled. “Never. Go on, now. Tell me all about it.”

Niamh noticed that, for once, Louise’s fingers didn’t twitch towards the notepad in her pocket. The journalist was making an effort to listen, rather than to notate. That was all the incentive the model needed to speak up.

“I’m just nervous – _anxious_ , maybe,” Niamh admitted, “about the idea that one of our friends has been spying for the mastermind behind our backs.”

Louise nodded emphatically. “Yes, I see. Truthfully, that’s been a concern of mine, too. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m finding it more and more difficult to trust our companions. After all, any one of them could be the mole.”

Niamh swallowed, feeling the dryness in her throat. “You…don’t seem to have any trouble trusting _me_.”

Louise smiled sincerely. “Out of all of the people trapped in here, _you’re_ the one I feel closest to. You’re my friend, Niamh. Because of that, I trust you. I know you too well. How could someone as honest as you be the spy in our group?”

Niamh was flattered by the journalist’s words. “I…I see. Th-thanks.” A warm smile spread across her face. “If it makes you feel any better, I trust you, too.”

“Even though I’m a journalist?”

Niamh blinked. “What’s _that_ got to do with anything?”

“I’ve encountered plenty of people who’ve distrusted me because of my profession,” Louise admitted. “After all, it’s my job to publish information, regardless of who wants to know. I’ve made my fair share of enemies because of my work.”

“But you’d never be dishonest,” Niamh pointed out. “I’ve sampled some of your work, you know. You prize the truth above all else. That much is clear to me.”

Louise’s eyes fluttered shut. “I…I see.”

Niamh tilted her head quizzically. “Is everything alright?”

“It’s just…” Niamh was surprised to hear the nasally tone of someone on the verge of tears in Louise’s voice. “Nobody’s ever said that to me before.”

“Oh, I...”

Before Niamh could construct a coherent sentence, the journalist had flung her arms around her and pulled her into a hug.

“Thank you,” Louise whispered.

And, quick as a flash, Louise let go of the model, turned and walked away, drying her eyes as best she could.

Niamh was left sitting alone in the library once again.

_What was that all about, I wonder?_

Confused by the reveal of the Ultimate Journalist’s more vulnerable side, Niamh found it difficult to return to her mathematics book.

 

***

 

Ryan walked through the first floor lounge, his shoes clacking rhythmically against the tiled surface. He had always paid attention to every facet of his appearance, including how he moved and carried himself. Because of this, he usually swaggered around in a casual manner that befitted a handsome and talented dancer such as himself. But now, with everything that had happened, he no longer felt the need. The murders, the executions, the revelations about everybody’s past…they had all become too much. Not even Jack or Nathan’s best efforts could stop it from happening; Ryan’s mask had finally slipped away.

He took the left corridor, which brought him towards the gym. His footsteps felt heavy and ponderous.

His conversation with Ciara the day before had shaken him to the core, also. To see her so willing to take the next step with the boy she liked reminded him of how he used to be. He was the sort of man who would flirt with a girl while her boyfriend was standing right next to her. And then bring the _both_ of them home with him. The sort of man who would stand up in front of crowd of hundreds or thousands, just to express himself through music and dance. Countless people had jeered and abused him, accusing him of not being masculine enough. And he’d endured it all with a smile. He was fearless. Untouchable. Unbreakable.

So why, he wondered as he peered through the glass and into the gym, did his stomach do flips whenever he saw him?

There he was, lying flat on his back and heaving the barbell up and down, forwards and backwards. Aidan’s bare chest and shoulders rose in sync with the barbell, pushing the air in and out. His taut upper body glistened with sweat.

Why was this so hard? Ryan had fancied other fellas before. Plenty of times, in fact. Some of them, he had considered to be his friends. So why was he so anxious about being attracted to Aidan? Or was it shame, rather than anxiety? Shame that he couldn’t admit to his best friend how he really felt. One of the many feelings that arose in him as he looked on did indeed feel like shame.

What about his lost memories? The ones Monobear had taken from him? Nearly two years of his life stolen away. Had his past self been just as attracted to Aidan as the present one? Probably. But had _that_ Ryan been able to tell him, and risk breaking the bond he had cherished so much?

Lost in these thoughts, Ryan lingered outside the gym, feeling like a bit of a creep as he did so. Dare he go in and chat? Or should he just leave altogether? Why did simply going to talk to his friend make him feel sick to his stomach? He shook himself. He was being ridiculous. He walked over to the glass door, pushed it open, and crept into the gym.

Aidan was just putting down the barbell when Ryan appeared out of the corner of his eye. He stretched his arms over his head as he sat up to face the dancer.

“How’s it goin’, man?” Aidan asked.

Ryan tried to force a smile onto his face. “I’m g-grand. How’re you?”

“Sound,” the surfer replied.  He stretched again, grunting with the effort. “I’m wrecked tired, though. I think I might just have a snooze after my shower.”

He stood up from the bench, feeling his joints crack. Ryan took a hasty step back.

Aidan noticed the erratic movement. “Are y’alright?”

The Ultimate Dancer nodded quickly. “Yeah! I’m…just fine.”

Aidan frowned, tilting his head slightly. “You sure? You’ve been actin’ weird over the last few days. And then, this mornin’…well…” He shrugged. “I dunno. You’ve been out of sorts, I suppose.

Ryan tried not to wince. Even Aidan himself had noticed. He hurriedly tried to come up with an excuse.

“…I’m just a bit stressed-out.”

A grim smile appeared on Aidan’s face. “Yeah, I can understand that. With Alex gone…” He shook his head. “It’s not the same. It’ll never be the same.”

Ryan grinned weakly. “Ch-cheer up. We’ll get through this, won’t we…?”

Aidan nodded in a non-committal way. “I hope you’re right.” He yawned, reaching over to a nearby chair and grabbed his vest from where it lay atop it. He slung the vest over his shoulder and strolled straight past Ryan.

Ryan let him pass. His mind was whirling with emotions and ideas. _Should I tell him? Right now? What would I even say? What the hell’s going on with me?_

Just as the Ultimate Surfer was about to leave the gym, Ryan spun around and called his name.

“Aidan, wait!”

He turned. “…Yeah?”

Ryan opened his mouth, but no words were willing to form.

Aidan raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”

“…I…” Ryan took a deep breath, before saying the only thing he could. “Are we still on for our swim this evening?”

“…Yeah. Of course.” Aidan smiled, bemused by his friend’s antics. It wasn’t like Ryan to act so hesitant, especially not around _him_. “I’ll see you later, alright?”

“Yeah. See you…”

Ryan watched Aidan turn back around and walk away. The surfer’s tight-fitting shorts clung firmly to his body, and Ryan’s eyes were drawn to the spectacle. His gaze swayed ever so slightly from side-to-side, following the mesmerising motion. Even when Aidan had passed through the door and left the gym, Ryan stared through the window until he was gone from view.

He was left alone once again. Ryan swallowed down the saliva that now flooded his mouth, cringing as he did. His heart was racing, his stomach fluttering. He’d never felt like this before, _ever_. He’d never felt so miserable or agitated. What in the world was wrong with him?

He took one step forward, then another. It took some time for the movement to become natural. He passed back through the door, leaving the gym behind. His mind was awhirl, barely conscious of where his feet were taking him. The feeling of shame was stronger now than it had been before. And another emotion was accompanying it: regret. He should’ve said something. Nearly _anything_ would’ve been better than asking Aidan a question that he already knew the answer to.

Ryan eventually found himself standing outside his own room. He reached into his pocket, took out his ID card and swiped it, as usual. Once he was inside, he all but slammed the door behind him, before slumping back against it, feeling the weakness in his knees.

Why was he so torn up? He and Aidan used to get along just fine. What had happened to Ryan that made his attitude towards his best friend change like that? He been attracted to the surfer from the very start; it wasn’t as though he’d only realised it _now_. There must be something that was making him feel this way.

_Love, maybe?_

Ryan’s stomach lurched. There was no way. He’d only known the bastard for a few weeks, after all. He wasn’t in love. Not at all.

_Is that really what you think?_

Ryan knew his feelings for Aidan weren’t exactly that pure. ‘Lust’ was a good word for them. ‘Desire’, another. But not love. Surely not.

_Your feelings go beyond that, now. And you know it._

What was this nasty voice that was whispering to him? Monobear? No…it was too insidious, too seductive to be that twisted creature. It was, he realised, a part of himself. A part of himself that he didn’t want to listen to, to acknowledge in any way. So he attempted to shut it out.

Ryan tried to focus, to compress his thought into a cohesive whole. But the image of Aidan’s body, drenched with sweat, swam before his eyes. And the strange voice in his head had only made things worse.

He groaned, a frustrated sound that was almost a shout, and pushed himself away from the door. He stomped towards the bed, undoing the few buttons on his shirt, pulling it up over his head and tossing it aside. He kicked off his shoes, unbuckled his belt and pulled his pants off. His socks and underwear were the last to go, and so he flopped down onto the bed completely naked. He lied back, with his head resting on one hand, while the other moved down, down to his navel and beyond. More images of Aidan came to mind, ones that had been stored deep in his memory.

Ryan closed his eyes, giving himself over…

…And when he was finished, he involuntarily let out a low moan as his body jerked uncontrollably. He let the sensation overwhelm his body, sending spasms of bliss coursing through him. His heart was pounding hard again, his chest rising and falling rapidly with the pace of his breath. His head spun and his body gently tingled as he lay there, atop the bed. But the intense, fleeting feeling of ecstasy faded far too abruptly, leaving the dancer feeling even more wretched than he had before. The other, more uncomfortable emotions lingered after the pleasure had long since evaporated. And, even after the raw desire Ryan had felt was gone, Aidan’s face still drifted before his vision. He couldn’t get him out of his head.

“…I’m so fucked-up,” Ryan breathed.

And, worse still, that smug, knowing voice was still lurking around.

_You love him. You know it’s true._

And Ryan did. Whether that love was true, or healthy, he didn’t know. But it was a kind of love, nonetheless. A kind of love that made him want to shrivel up with fear. And he would never be able to admit it to his friend. Because, no matter how badly he craved Aidan’s love in return, he would never _ever_ receive it.

For the first time in years, Ryan wept.


	29. Chapter 4: Despair Pressure - Part 6

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

When Michael wandered into the refectory in search of an afternoon snack, he was briefly surprised to find Jack Jones sitting at the dining table. He called out to the Ultimate All-Rounder as he approached the table.

“Jack! How’s it goin’?”

The dark-haired boy’s head snapped up at the sound of the Ultimate Vet’s voice. He plastered a smile across his face, hoping it looked genuine.

“I’m grand, Mick. You?”

Michael let out a satisfied grunt as he sat down opposite Jack. “Not bad. I wasn’t expectin’ to see you here. We all missed you at breakfast.”

“Really? Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Michael waved a hand dismissively. “But we _were_ wonderin’ if you were okay. Nathan told us about what happened last night, with Monobear. You sure that you’re alright?”

Jack nodded. “I’m grand,” he repeated. “It just…gave me a bit of a shock, you know?”

“Yeah,” Michael muttered, leaning back in his chair. “The thought of one of us bein’ a spy for Monobear…” He shook his head. “It’d give _anyone_ a fright.”

“You’re probably right,” Jack admitted.

After that brief exchange, an uncomfortable silence fell between the two boys. Jack knew they were both thinking the same thing: _is the person sitting across from me the mole?_ To Jack, that was one of the worst things about the revelations Monobear had made the night before; what little trust that existed between the students had been worn thin.

“You…have any thoughts about who it might be?”

Jack frowned at the question. “No. I…I don’t want to mistrust anyone here. We’ve only come this far by banding together. We can’t stop now?”

“So, why the cold shoulder this mornin’? You’ve never done that before now.”

Jack flinched. “I…I just…”

Michael raised his arms. “Sorry. That was a stupid question to ask. I didn’t mean it.”

“You have a right to be suspicious of me,” Jack told him. “You’ve no reason to be sorry.”

“But…I mean…” Michael raised a hand to his face in distress. “If I start mistrustin’ _you_ , then where does that leave me? I’ll start mistrustin’ everyone else, as well.”

“And that’s what the mastermind wants. Don’t worry. This mole will be revealed eventually. It’s getting harder and harder for them to stay hidden, what with there being so few of us left.”

Michael slumped. “I hope you’re right.” He smiled sheepishly. “Sorry for unloadin’ all that on you, man. You’re havin’ a hard enough time without _me_ makin’ you worry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jack said, his familiar grin returning to his face. “We all have our ups and downs. It happens to the best of us.”

The two boys chatted for a few minutes more. After they were finished eating, Jack stood up from his chair and announced that he was returning to his room. Michael let him go, watching him closely all the while.

 

***

 

“Again,” Fionn called, tensing slightly as the boxer lunged forward, planting her right fist into the cushion he held between his hands. Once more, she punched the cushion, and Fionn gritted his teeth as the blow sent shockwaves through his body. Despite having known she was the Utimate Boxer, he had nonetheless underestimated the petite girl’s strength. She was nearly a foot-and-a-half shorter than him, but she still packed quite a punch.

Aisling took a step backwards, wiping her brow with the back of her wrist and saying, “Let’s take a quick break.”

Fionn nodded, setting the cushion (which was now bent completely out of shape) back down on the couch he’d taken it from. He studied the boxer as she stretched, loosening up her muscles.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “I’m fine. Why d’you ask?”

“Well…you’ve never asked me to help you train before now. I thought Ryan was doing that.”

“Yeah, well, I haven’t been talking much to him lately,” Aisling admitted.

“Why not?” Fionn sat down on the couch, regarding the boxer curiously. “Did you have a falling-out?”

She shook her head. “Not really. I just…don’t really feel like hanging around with him.”

“Wasn’t he teaching you how to dance, as well?”

Aisling’s head snapped towards the rugby player. “How’d you know about that?”

“Oh, Aidan told me.”

“Ugh.” Aisling rolled her eyes. “That eejit can never keep a secret.”

“Really? He seems quiet enough to me.”

Aisling shrugged. “Well, anyway, you’re right. Ryan was giving me dance lessons.”

“Does that embarrass you?”

The boxer made a face. “A bit. To be honest, I’m a terrible dancer. I thought that Ryan giving me lessons would help.”

“Did it?”

“Kind of. I learned some interesting types of dances, but…” She swallowed. “It also meant that I was spending a lot of time with him. Alone. In his bedroom.”

Fionn’s eyebrows rose, but he passed no comment.

Aisling went on. “Even though he’s a stupid, perverted, insecure and loudmouthed _bastard_ …” Her mouth clamped shut, and refused to complete the sentiment.

“…You still fancy him,” Fionn finished.

The boxer slumped as though her skeleton had suddenly become ten times heavier. She collapsed into a nearby armchair and stared at the floor.

“I don’t see what the problem is,” Fionn muttered. “He’s a good-looking fella.”

“I have a _boyfriend_ , Fionn,” Aisling reminded him, gritting her teeth.

Fionn winced. “Sorry. I’d forgotten that you told me about him.”

“And, even if I didn’t, God knows Ryan’s love life is messed-up enough as it is. He doesn’t need someone like me coming in and making things even _more_ complicated.”

“You’re talking about him and Aidan?” Fionn had noticed how… _close_ those two had seemed. Especially during their many late-night swimming sessions. As of late, however, their antics only reminded the rugby star of himself and Alex, and the incredibly short time they’d spent together before they were ripped apart. He’d distanced himself from the two swimmers for that reason, as much as he had enjoyed the lessons they’d given him.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Aisling said, bringing Fionn out of his thoughts. “Those two…even if it never goes anywhere, I don’t want to interfere. I love John. And I feel so guilty for even _considering_ Ryan. This place…” She lifted her head and eyed her surroundings with loathing. “It’s making me forget about the important things. The things that really matter.”

“But…” Fionn thought about the most tactful way to phrase his next sentence. “We have two years of our lives missing from our memories. You might’ve broken up with him during that time.”

Aisling glared.

“M-maybe!” Fionn stammered. “It’s possible, is all I’m saying!”

But Aisling shook her head, her glare only wavering slightly. “He promised me that he’d join me in St. Elpis’ after I was invited. He said he was going to work hard over the year in order to become known as the ‘Ultimate Comedian’, so that he could be invited, as well. John’s not the type to break his promises so easily.”

“Really? You never told me he was a comedian.”

Aisling nodded. “He was. Or, at least, he _tried_ to be. But I’m sure he’d be able to do it. St. Elpis’ would’ve _had_ to let him in.”

The Ultimate Rugby Star saw where she her thoughts were heading. “You’re wondering what happened to him. None of the staff and students are here, apart from ourselves. Unless they’re behind Monobear.”

Aisling blinked. “I hadn’t thought of that. What if the mastermind is actually the school’s staff, playing a sick joke on their students?”

Fionn shrugged. “Who knows? I’ve pretty much given up on ever finding out who’s behind all of this.”

The Ultimate Boxer nodded sadly. “Yeah. Me too.”

The two friends sat together in a sorrowful silence, until Fionn reminded Aisling that she was still training. But, after their despondent conversation, neither of them had the desire to continue. Despair had sunk into their hearts, choking them from within.

Had they known how much worse things would get, and how soon it would happen, they would have likely lost hope altogether.

 

***

 

After another quiet evening in the school had passed, the students returned to bed. Nathan Murphy was too exhausted to notice the bleak atmosphere that had settled in, having spent most of the day with Ciara. After the guitarist had bid him a tender farewell and departed for the night, he’d been left alone in his bed, hardly believing his luck. He’d gone further with her than he’d ever gone with any other girl before. And she’d left him with promises of going even _further_ , to his excitement. Eventually, however, his tired body won over his buzzing mind, and he drifted off to sleep shortly after Monobear’s usual Night Time announcement.

Despite how utterly fatigued he was, it did nothing to stop the dream from recurring.

It was the same as it ever was: the firm earth pressing against his back; the soft grass tickling his arms, legs and neck; the aroma of freshly-mown lawns. But, it seemed to him, the sensations were more vivid than they had ever been before. The dream was so clear now, more than it had ever been before.

As usual, he turned his head to the side to see Jack and Gráinne, laughing and sharing jokes, their hands clasped together. But now he could hear their voices, muffled as they were.

_“Did you hear the news?”_

Nathan thought something sounded different about Jack’s voice. But he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

_“What news?”_

Gráinne’s voice was the same as ever, no doubt about that. She was exactly as Nathan remembered her being in the short time he’d known her.

 _“You mean those riots?”_ she asked.

_“The one’s in Japan, yeah.”_

_“I didn’t think you’d care very much about Japanese civil strife,”_ she teased him.

Jack grinned. _“I’m only bringing it up because I knew_ you’d _be interested in it. They’re saying it started in a school, you know.”_

 _“I never heard about that.”_ Gráinne regarded her boyfriend with no small amount of scepticism. _“Are you sure you’re not telling another one of your tall tales?”_

Jack shook his head, but his grin never faded. _“I’m being serious. Could you imagine riots like those ones happening somewhere like_ this _?”_

He jerked his head towards the tall building on the hill nearby, which Nathan finally recognised as being St. Elpis’ College. Students, garbed in the familiar green uniform, spilled in and out of the great gates. Nathan’s head swivelled back towards Jack just in time hear him ask, _“What d’you think, Nate?”_

Nathan rolled his eyes and heard himself say, _“What are you on about now, Ja-”_

His own voice was cut off by the inevitable morning announcement.

_“Good morning, you pathetic brats! It’s seven o’clock. That means it’s time to wake up and seize the day!”_

Nathan lurched up from the bed, his head spinning as he tried to recover from the vividness of the dream. Nathan was sure now that it all had to be a memory, rather than a figment of his own subconscious. But how could that be? Monobear had told them all that their memories of their school life in St. Elpis’ College had been erased. How could he be able to remember any of it?

Nathan dragged himself over to the bathroom, beginning his morning ritual. As always, by the time he had finished, it was already time to go down to the refectory for breakfast. He snatched his ID card from his desk, opened his door and stepped out into the corridor.

He was passing through the lounge when he heard the scream.

He spun, searching wildly for the source of the noise. The scream came again, a horrible sound of shock and loss, and Nathan sprinted out of the lounge. He ran towards the foyer at full pelt, only stopping short when he arrived on the scene. He gaped.

Standing alone, at the foot of the staircase and clutching numbly to the banister, was Aisling Taggart. Her eyes were wide and fearful, tears streaming down her face, and her mouth was hanging open in an expression of horror. Nathan knew immediately that it was she who had screamed. But the thing she was staring at so hard that her eyes seemed wont to burst from her sockets was what shocked the Ultimate Lucky Student more.

Lying downwards on the floor below the stairs, in the centre of a pool of blood, with a knife clutched between stiff fingers, was Aidan Collins. His mouth was hanging open, stained with more of that sickening, red liquid. And, what was more, there was another body lying beneath his: one whose blood had radiated outwards from a gaping hole in his chest. It was Ryan Jackson.

Aisling screamed again: a shrill, piercing sound that conveyed a cavalcade of emotions all at once. Nathan found himself unable to join in; the sheer despair he was feeling had stolen his voice.


	30. Chapter 4: Despair Pressure - Part 7

_Laethanta Mínormálta_  -  Abnormal Days

Never in his worst nightmares would Nathan have expected there to be two murders at once. His head pounded, and it wasn’t just because of Aisling’s screaming. Before he could even voice his horror aloud, the loudspeakers clicked and Monobear’s shrill voice cut through his haze of emotion.

_“Attention, all students! A dead body has just been discovered! Everyone may proceed with the investigation until the school trial begins, in several hours’ time. Happy hunting!”_

It wasn’t long before Nathan heard a set of footsteps from the corridor behind him, and he turned to see Louise hurtling into the foyer, her expression conveying her distress.

“What happened?!” she cried. “What- oh my God!”

The Ultimate Journalist gasped upon seeing the twin bodies sprawled out on the floor.

“How…how disgusting,” she whispered, clearly fighting the urge to gag.

“Louise,” Nathan said to her, in what he hoped was a calming tone, “make sure the others know where we are. They’ll need to see this, too.”

After a few, deep breaths, Louise nodded. “I’ll wait for them in the lounge. They’ll be sure to come soon, now that the announcement has been played.”

She left the way she had come, retreating back down the corridor. That left Nathan alone to console Aisling. The Ultimate Boxer had stopped screaming, at least. But she was still trembling, unable to tear her eyes away from the gruesome spectacle that lay on the ground before her. He stepped warily towards her.

“A-Aisling…?”

Her eyes never moved from the bodies, but her head seemed to tilt ever so slightly towards him. Nathan took that as a sign that she had heard him.

“I’m…I’m sorry about Ryan and Aidan. I know they were your friends…”

He trailed off helplessly. While they had been alive, Nathan interaction with the two boys had been minimal. He’d only ever really had one meaningful conversation with Aidan, and he’s done no such thing with Ryan. Now that they were gone, he wished he’d gotten the chance to know them a bit better. But Aisling was the person the two boys had hung around with the most, apart from each other. No wonder she was so upset.

“…” Her mouth had opened, but she seemed just as much at a loss for words as _he_ did.

Aisling was saved from having to speak by the sudden clatter of footsteps from the corridor, growing louder and louder with each passing second. Next were the cries and shouts of horror as the other students appeared on the scene and witnessed the sight of Ryan and Aidan’s bodies. But then, something very unexpected happened.

_“Attention, all students! A dead body has just been discovered! Everyone may proceed with the investigation until the school trial begins, in several hours’ time. Happy hunting!”_

Nathan blinked. That was the second time the body discovery announcement had been played. But why?

“I can’t believe it,” Michael hissed, staring at the pair of bodies with a sorrowful expression. “I…how…?”

“The _two_ of them,” Fionn mumbled in disbelief.

“Is such a thing even allowed by Monobear’s rules?” Louise pondered.

“Well, I’m glad you asked!”

Monobear appeared on the staircase, dancing a jig on a step not a metre away from the bodies. Aisling saw him, and leaped away in fright.

“It’s _finally_ happened!” the bear cheered. “Two bodies at once! It’s like Christmas has come early this year! No, no, this is _better_ than Christmas; it should be its own holiday!”

“Just shut the fuck up and start talking,” Nathan ordered.

Monobear abruptly stopped dancing and began to pout. “Man, you guys are no fun anymore. But, I guess a double-murder makes up for that.”

“A ‘double-murder’, you say?” Jack stepped forward, his eyes on Monobear. “Does that mean they were both killed by the same person? Or are there two culprits? Were the two murderers, if they both exist, working individually?”

Monobear clamped his paws over his ears. “Hey, hey, one question at a time! I’m only one, measly bear! And where’s the fun in telling you everything? Isn’t it more _exciting_ if you figure it out for yourselves?”

A vein twitched in the Ultimate All-Rounder’s temple, but his inevitable outburst was staved-off by Louise’s intervention.

“Well, then, perhaps you could give us a hint? After all, it would give us hope. The more hope, the more despair that will arise during the school trial.”

Several students raised eyebrows at the journalist’s obviously honeyed tones, but Monobear was surprisingly taken-in.

“You make a fair argument,” he said, tapping a claw against his chin as he thought. “Alrighty, then. I kind of needed to explain a few rules, anyway.

“I’m not gonna tell you guys whether there are two culprits in this case or not. However, if there _are_ two murderers, then they will essentially be tried separately for their individual murders.  In the case of there being just the one culprit, the trial will proceed as usual.”

“So,” Jack said, “what you saying is that we have to decide for ourselves?”

“Upupu…I’ll let you guys come to your own conclusions. Oh, and here’s the latest edition of the Monobear File, before I forget. Sometimes I find I can be a bear of very little brain, you know. _Ciao!_ ”

Just as there were a series of electronic beeps from around the room, Monobear vanished once again, leaving the remaining living students alone with the bodies of their former companions. Usually, this would be the point where Alex would take charge of the investigation and oversee the crime scene. But his death had left the group at a loss.

Nathan and Jack shared a glance. They were the ones whom Alex had taken on as his assistants in leading the investigations. It therefore fell to them to take the initiative.

But, to their surprise, Niamh said, “ _I’ll_ head this investigation.”

Jack blinked. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am. I assisted Alex in his examination of the crime scene during the previous case. Therefore, I have some degree of experience.”

Nathan marvelled at how she had even adopted Alex’s formal tone of speaking. Maybe that made the whole ordeal easier for her?

“…Alright,” Jack said eventually. “We’ll still need two volunteers to guard the crime scene.”

“I’m staying here,” Aisling said, in a hoarse voice.

Fionn nodded firmly. “Me, too.”

“That leaves five of us left,” Jack continued. “Two will handle the dormitories, while the other three stick together and investigate the rest of the school.”

“I suppose I’ll take the dormitories again,” Nathan muttered, before being surprised by a sudden grip on his arm.

“I’m going with you,” Ciara asserted, from beside him.

Jack’s eyes moved between them both, noticing how the usual awkwardness between the two of them had all but disappeared. He passed no comment, however, and instead said, “Okay, then myself, Louise and Mick will search for clues elsewhere.”

“Good,” Niamh said curtly. “Let’s go.”

Once the five had left, Niamh decided she would begin with reading the Monobear File. She pulled out her ID card and switched it on, selecting the icon when it appeared. Her eyes rapidly scanned the words that scrolled up the screen, taking in the information.

_ Monobear File 4 – Chapter 1 _

_Victim: Ryan Jackson_

_Time of Death: Approximately 23:30_

_Cause of Death: Loss of blood due to stab wound. Death was instantaneous_

_External Injuries: Several bruises around torso._

_ Monobear File 4 – Chapter 2 _

_Victim: Aidan Collins_

_Time of Death: Approximately 23:30_

_Cause of Death: Poisoning_

_External Injuries: None._

_Both victims show signs of having vomited blood._

Niamh switched off the card, returning it to her pocket. There were several facts contained in the file that were of definite interest, such as the differing causes of death. Why would the killer, whoever they were, murder the two boys in such different ways. And the times of death for both of them were the same. What could it mean?

Niamh knelt down by the puddle of blood to examine the bodies more closely. The two corpses were lying on top of one another, drenched with blood. That made it impossible to tell whose blood was whose. Niamh decided to start with what she _could_ infer. Aidan was holding a bloody knife; had _he_ been the one to stab Ryan? And Aidan had been killed by poison. Who had done that?

There were too many vague details for the Ultimate Model to make sense of. She felt the fluttering of panic in her belly. Niamh had declared herself the leader of the investigation without being sure of whether or not she was ready. Her thoughts grew hazy, and she found herself unable to concentrate. She staggered backwards, and immediately felt a pair of strong arms catch her.

“Take it easy,” Fionn murmured in her ear. “You’ll be grand.”

Niamh nodded, steadying herself with the Ultimate Rugby Star’s help.

“Thank you.”

“No bother.”

Niamh quietly chided herself for her loss of control. Alex would never let himself lose composure like that. Not when he was still needed.

Now, where hadn’t she examined yet? She took a step towards the corpses once again, stopping when she heard a soft _squelch_ from beneath her foot. She peered downwards, moving her foot out of the way to examine the floor. She found a dollop of red blood that had only half-dried into the tiled floor. Right next to it was another splattering, and another next to _that_ one. The small splotches of blood formed a trail, leading away from the bodies, towards the centre of the foyer. Right in the middle of the floor was another puddle of blood, smaller than the one beneath the corpses. It had also dried faster than the other puddle, Niamh noted.

Fionn had spotted it, too. “What d’you think made that?”

Niamh shook her head. “I don’t know.” She eyed the thin trail of blood that lead between the two puddles, pondering the connection.

She decided to take a closer look at the bodies. She scanned the two boys from top to bottom, taking note of a few whitish patches on the bottom of the dancer’s shoes. What had caused those? Aidan’s shoes were clean, save for a few spots of blood. Although Aidan was lying slightly atop Ryan, she was still able to examine the Ultimate Dancer’s corpse quite thoroughly. Rolling up the front of his shirt revealed the bruises that had been referenced in the Monobear File. The small, purplish injuries marked his chest, his abdomen and seemed to stretch across to his back, as well. How had he sustained those injuries? Aidan, on the other hand, had suffered no external injuries. He _had_ been poisoned, after all. But the Monobear File had also stated that the two boys had both vomited blood. Was that the source of the puddle in the centre of the room? Which of the two had made it?

Niamh’s thoughts were in a whirl. She forced herself to remain rational, and to continue examining the crime scene. The others were counting on her.

She made for the staircase, stepping around the still-moist pool of blood and the bodies. As she climbed the stairs, she took a careful look at each individual step. Her keen eyes spotted several brownish-red marks on some of the steps – more bloodstains. But how could the blood from the corpses below have splattered so far? Unless…

Niamh looked from the staircase beneath her feet to the position of the corpses, and then back again, trying to piece together the picture she was missing.

As she was thinking, Fionn was staring at the pair of bodies, with a deep frown creasing his forehead. “D’you think…they killed each other?”

Aisling, who had been silent for some time, snapped at him. “Not a chance! They…I know they’d never…”

“We shouldn’t make these assumptions so readily,” Niamh told them, trying to reassure them both. “Stay calm.”

Fionn regarded the model quietly for a few seconds, before he muttered, “You don’t have to try so hard to be him, you know.”

Niamh flushed. She tried to disguise her embarrassment with anger at the boy’s words. “I-I’m not trying to _be_ Alex. If anything, _you_ shouldn’t go looking for him in other people!”

Fionn’s expression darkened. The Ultimate Model stood her ground and held his indignant gaze.

“Fine,” he said, after what seemed like an hour of tense silence. “It won’t happen again.”

Niamh nodded. “Good.” She returned her attention to the crime scene, trying to suppress her fury at the Ultimate Rugby Star’s words. She knew, of course, that he was right; she _was_ trying to emulate the Ultimate Physicist in her words and actions. If anything, Fionn being correct had only made her more upset.

Alex was gone. He’d never be able to help her anymore. She didn’t need Fionn to tell her that. She _shouldn’t_.

 

***

 

The moment they were alone together in the dormitory corridor, Ciara launched herself at Nathan, kissing him hungrily and taking the Ultimate Lucky Student completely by surprise.

“Wh-what’s…is everything alright?” he stammered, as soon as he had found enough time to breathe.

Ciara nodded hurriedly. “I’m sorry. It’s just…when I heard the announcement, I was still in my room. I thought…well…” She trailed off, with a guilty expression.

“You thought it was me who’d been killed,” Nathan finished for her.

Ciara raised a hand to her forehead in embarrassment. “I panicked, alright? Sorry.” She turned away from her boyfriend, lowering her voice. “And…when I saw those two lads’ bodies lying there on the floor, I felt…relieved. Can you believe that? Ryan and Aidan were my friends, too. But I was glad they were dead instead of you.”

Nathan grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face him, looking her straight in the eye. “You weren’t glad. There’s a difference between being relieved that someone’s alive and being glad that someone else is dead. You miss Ryan and Aidan, don’t you?”

“O-of course.”

“And you’re shocked by their deaths?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you don’t have anything to blame yourself for. If you do, then you’re just letting the mastermind have their way. You’re better than that, Ciara.”

Ciara blinked.

After a few moments of silence, Nathan suddenly felt very awkward. He let go of her shoulder, staggering backwards a step. “What? What is it?”

“Sorry. I was just surprised by how firm you got there for a second. You had this kind of _strong_ tone in your voice.”

“…Did I?” Nathan frowned. “Well, I mean, it won’t happen ag-”

“It was really sexy,” she told him.

Nathan choked on his apology, his face burning red. “R-right,” he mumbled, as soon as he was able.

She smirked at his embarrassed reaction. “I’m not used to you sounding so _tough_ when you talk.”

“Well, I’m sorry if I’m usually too timid for you,” Nathan grumbled.

Ciara giggled, before planting a quick kiss on his lips. “But you’re cute when you’re timid.”

“Which do you prefer, then?” he asked, a curious edge to his voice. “Cute or sexy?”

The guitarist simply smiled and turned her back on him, walking off down the corridor. “We’ll see.”

Nathan groaned under his breath. It was unbelievable, really, how she always left him wanting more. Going out with Ciara was like reading a fast-paced thriller, with each moment spent with her being a new chapter; nearly every one always ended with a cliffhanger. She’d get him all worked-up, only to taper off when he was just getting into it. Of course, the times when she _didn’t_ taper off…

The Ultimate Lucky Student shook his head hurriedly, trying to clear his thoughts. He wouldn’t be able to focus on the investigation if he was thinking about _her_.

The girl in question was now standing in front of one of the bedroom doors, swiping her ID card through the lock. She pushed open the door, gesturing for Nathan to follow her in.

“I decided to start with my room,” she explained. “I needed to unlock it, anyway.”

Nathan nodded. He’d locked his own room, also. But the others had all come back and unlocked their rooms before continuing the investigation. He doubted that anything of serious interest would be found in any of the bedrooms; after the evidence that proved Deirdre’s guilt had been found in her own room, the killers that followed were quick to learn from her mistake. Whether or not there’d be anything worth finding in the dormitories, he’d have to wait and see.

 

***

 

Jack led his small group up the stairs. Every glance he cast over his shoulder reminded him of one sobering fact: the number of students trapped in St. Elpis’ was dwindling rapidly. They had gone from sixteen to half that in only a few short weeks. And, after today, their group would become even smaller. But by how much?

He hid his grimacing face from his two companions. When had he grown accustomed to this hell? At first, he’d been so adamant that nobody would die. And now, he was just accepting the fact that at least one of his friends would be killed today. Worse still, he was slipping back into his old habits. What kind of a leader was he?

Louise ticked the areas they had already investigated off the list in her notepad. “That leaves only the third floor.”

“You think we’ll find anythin’ there?” Michael asked, with a twinge of hope in his voice.

“Unlikely,” the journalist commented. “After all, our investigation of the lower floors turned up little to nothing.”

“We’ll keep searching,” Jack told them, without looking back.

Michael and Louise shared a glance, but didn’t respond.

Only when they arrived at the third floor landing did Jack turn to face them. “Where should we start?” he asked.

“We’d better be quick,” Louise noted. “We’re running out of time, I’d say.”

Something clicked in Michael’s brain. “We should check the chemistry lab.”

“What for?”

“When me and Niamh were there, we found a whole load of poison in one of the cabinets. I had a look at the Monobear File, and it says Aidan was poisoned, so…”

Jack nodded. “The poison that killed him probably came from the lab. Yeah, that makes sense.”

Louise jotted down a few notes, before saying, “Very well. Shall we?”

As soon as they pushed open the door to the lab, they came across a scene that left no doubt in their minds that the killer had been there. The cabinet directly across from the doorway was left wide open, its contents plain for all to see. Furthermore, the floor beneath the cabinet was coated in a thick layer of a strange, powdery substance.

“Mick,” Jack muttered, “I presume that’s the cabinet with the poisons in it?”

The vet swallowed nervously.

“Then we’d better be careful,” the Ultimate All-Rounder advised. “If that stuff on the ground is poisonous, we’ll need to keep away.”

“But it looks like somebody has already walked through it,” Louise pointed out, gesturing to a group of footprints left clearly in the powder.

Jack stepped forward, still keeping clear of the powder. He observed the different sets of prints: one set of footprints led towards the cabinet, while another led away. Yet another series of strange prints led away from the cabinet, but they didn’t look anything like footprints to Jack. They were circular, for a start, and smaller than he thought anyone’s feet could ever be – roughly two inches in diameter.

Michael saw the prints, too. “What are they, I wonder? They don’t look like any footprints _I’ve_ ever seen.”

“Indeed,” Louise murmured, staring curiously at the markings in the powder, scribbling away in her notepad as she did so.

“D’you think the person who opened the cabinet was walkin’ on their tip-toes, or somethin’?” Michael muttered, with an awkward half-grin.

“…It’s possible,” Jack supposed.

“I, eh…I was only jokin’.”

“It _is_ an intriguing theory,” Louise said. “After all, one would likely need to be an accomplished ballet dancer to stand on the tips of their toes like that.”

Michael blinked. “You…you don’t think…?”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Jack reminded them, before turning his attention to the cabinet. “Now, how do we get over to the poisons without disturbing the powder?” he mused quietly.

“You don’t need to worry about that,” the journalist told him. “I’ve already taken note of the footprints’ positioning.”

She showed him the sketch she had spent the last few minutes drawing. Sure enough, Jack could see where each of the footprints, including the bizarre circular markings, lay on the scene. She had even added in the opened cabinet for reference.

“Alright,” Jack said. “We can approach the cabinet. But make sure not to touch the powder with our bare skin until we’re certain it’s safe.”

Carefully, Jack and Michael crept across the floor, moving slowly towards the cabinet. Louise kept at a safe distance, choosing to document whatever happened next in her faithful notepad. Fortunately for them all, stepping on the powder with their shoes caused no ill effects, or explosions.

Jack leaned in towards the cabinet, being careful not to slip on the powder beneath his feet. There were three shelves in the cabinet, each one stacked with about ten bottles or containers each. Scanning their labels, it seemed that they were indeed all various types of poisons. But the bottles on the top shelf were the ones that drew his attention: they were the only ones that showed signs of being disturbed or moved in any way. The four bottles on the far left had been turned around so that their labels faced the wall.

These, Jack knew, were the poisons they were looking for.

Michael reached out, from next to the all-rounder, and grabbed the first bottle on the left, taking it carefully out of the cabinet.

“Are you sure you should be handling that?” Jack asked warily.

Michael smiled wryly. “I’m a medical professional,” he reminded the Ultimate All-Rounder. “I know a bit about handling dangerous chemicals.”

Seeing that the other boy was satisfied with his answer, Michael held the bottle at arm’s length and read aloud from the label.

_“‘Monobear Poison Alpha. This enchanted liquid is highly potent and takes effect immediately. Please handle with care. Though its volatility is low, this liquid is very dangerous when vaporised. In a gaseous state, it is heavier than air, it breaks down in minutes and it is susceptible to hydrolysis.’”_

Jack raised an eyebrow. “‘Hydrolysis’?”

“That basically means that it disintegrates in water,” the vet explained.

Jack nodded. “Oh, yeah. I knew that.”

He winced. Luckily, Michael was too busy placing the bottle of poison back on the shelf to notice. He gingerly withdrew the next bottle, reading once again from the label.

_“‘Monobear Poison Beta. This enchanted powder is moderately potent and takes effect within a few minutes. This powder cannot be dissolved in water. Though its volatility is low when ingested or inhaled, this substance is dangerous when it comes into contact with naked skin. For that reason, please take great care when handling this poison. You have been warned!’”_

Michael replaced the bottle as quickly as he could, taking out the next one with his free hand.

“This one says, _‘Monobear Poison Gamma. This magical powder is moderately potent and takes effect within a few hours. Please handle with care. Despite its slow rate of effectiveness, this poison is highly dangerous when dissolved in a liquid. Be wary of the poisonous solution, as it can be dangerous when brought into contact with naked skin. For ingestion only!”_

As Michael was replacing the third bottle, he felt a sharp, searing pain in the palm of his hand. He cried out, his arm jerking involuntarily and knocking against the fourth bottle on the shelf, causing it to topple off its perch. Quick as a flash, Jack’s own hand shot forward and snatched the bottle out of the air before it could smash against the floor. Meanwhile, the Ultimate Vet was lurching backwards, hissing in pain and clutching his right hand.

Louise strode over, careful to avoid stepping on the strange powder. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“My…my hand,” Michael croaked between gasps of pain. “S-something…”

Michael weakly stretched out his hand to show her it. There, on his palm and the bases of his fingers, was raw, blistering skin. It practically glowed crimson, and Michael had to bite down on his cheek to stop from crying out again as he stretched the inflamed skin.

“Did that happen just now?” Louise asked incredulously.

Michael nodded piteously. “Just when I was putting the bottle back.”

“You might’ve touched some of the poison,” Jack said, glancing warily at the bottles on the shelf. He wrapped his free hand in the sleeve of his hoodie, before carefully prodding the bottles one-by-one. The second bottle, he noticed, had been cracked badly somehow, and a clump of powder had fallen out. The other bottles were intact.

He then examined the fourth bottle, which was still clutched tightly in his hand. He read aloud from the label, as Michael had.

_“Monobear Poison Delta. This magical liquid is highly potent and takes effect within a few minutes. This liquid is colourless, odourless and tasteless, and is largely indistinguishable from water. Two tablespoons of this poison in a litre of water is enough to cause a quick and painful death. Even trace amounts of Monobear Poison Delta in a liquid can cause serious internal trauma.”_

Louise marked the page where she had written the descriptions of the four poisons, as described by the two boys. It would likely be important later on, during the trial.

Finished with the poison bottle, Jack slowly replaced it and walked away from the cabinet, edging towards the injured vet. He noticed another bottle lying on a nearby table, marked ‘Chloroform’, and made a mental note to stay away from it.

“Are you okay, Mick?”

The Ultimate Vet nodded. “I think so. The inflammation isn’t spreadin’, thank God. I should be alright.”

“You were holding onto that bottle for a while,” Jack pointed out. “No wonder your hand got so badly damaged.”

Michael let out a chuckle, despite himself. “And here I was, thinkin’ I knew better. Sorry, Jack.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Jack said, waving a hand dismissively. “ _You’re_ the one who-”

Before the all-rounder could finish his statement, there was a _click_ from the loudspeaker on the nearby wall and Monobear’s usual announcement came screeching out.

_“Alllllright, boys and girls! That’s enough investigating! Get your arses down to the entrance hall ASAP!”_

Jack groaned. “Just our luck.”

Michael sighed, still holding his injured hand. “We’ll have to make do with what we got.”

Louise frowned. “Do you…think we have enough evidence?”

“We can only hope,” Jack replied.

 

***

 

The students reconvened in the foyer, which also happened to be the crime scene. What little time they had to compare notes was cut short when the back walls slid open once more to accommodate them. The eight remaining students grudgingly stepped through the passageway and down the dark steps. It was to be their fourth time entering the courtroom. But nobody among them could tell whether or not it would be their last.


	31. Chapter 4: Despair Pressure - Part 8

_Triail na Scoile_ -  School Trial

Again, the students found themselves in a courtroom that had changed dramatically since their last visit. The steel girders and bars, as well as the fan on the ceiling, were gone. In their place, the walls had been decorated to resemble a high-class ballroom. Far above their heads was a glittering chandelier that hung from the mirrored ceiling, casting a dim glow down on them all. Furthermore, there were three more signposts standing at the circle of podiums: one for Ryan, Aidan and Alex, with red ‘X’s covering their portraits. The X on the physicist’s sign was made up of two test tubes, Niamh noticed, as she took her place beside the sign in question.

Monobear clapped his paws together loudly. “Alright, you guys! It’s time to begin our fourth school trial together! And what a doozy _this_ one will be, I can already tell!”

“Let’s start by going over the facts,” Niamh said, addressing her fellow students. “There were two victims in this case: Ryan Jackson and Aidan Collins. Their bodies were found lying together in the foyer. The two of them also share the same approximate time of death.”

Louise took up the explanation as she finished notating what Niamh had just said. “Of course, the _cause_ of death is what differs between the victims. Aidan was poisoned, while Ryan was stabbed.” Her eyes rose to meet the Ultimate Model’s gaze. “Do we know what he was stabbed _with_?”

Niamh nodded. “We do. I examined the knife that Aidan was found holding. It’s consistent with the fatal wound in Ryan’s chest.”

Stunned whispers echoed around the courtroom. Aisling had gone completely pale with shock.

“Wait,” Michael piped up, “if Aidan _did_ kill Ryan, then do we still have to vote for him as the killer?”

“Upupupu! Of course!” Monobear giggled. “After all, a culprit’s still a culprit, whether they’re dead _or_ alive!”

“Well, it seems fairly clear to _me_ ,” Fionn said. “I saw the crime scene, and it’s obvious that Aidan must’ve stabbed Ryan.”

“Then who killed Aidan?” Nathan questioned him. “Why did he end up dying on top of his own victim?”

Fionn scratched his head. “I…don’t know…”

“Actually, Nathan,” Niamh cut in, “I believe you may be mistaken. I don’t think Aidan died ‘on top’ of Ryan. His body was likely moved.”

“How do you know?” Louise asked.

“There was a small puddle of blood in the centre of the foyer,” the model explained. “And the Monobear File states that Aidan vomited blood at some point. I believe that was the cause of that particular puddle.”

The journalist made a sickened face. “How awful.”

“But what makes you so certain that Aidan’s body was moved?” the Ultimate All-Rounder asked.

“There were patches of blood splattered along the floor between the two puddles of blood. Patterns in the blood spatter indicate that something was dragged through it, in the direction of the larger puddle.”

“So you think Aidan collapsed in the centre of the foyer, then was dragged through the blood to the foot of the stairs?”

“That’s exactly what I think,” the girl replied firmly.

“But Aidan’s body was on _top_ of Ryan’s,” Fionn pointed out. “How could he…wait a minute.”

“There must’ve been someone else!” Ciara cried. “Someone moved Aidan’s body after he died!”

“Then maybe they’re the one that killed him! And Ryan, too!” Aisling exclaimed, her eyes widening into bright circles.

“But why would they move the body like that?” Louise wondered.

“They might’ve been trying to make us draw some conclusion about the murders,” Jack said. “They tried to lead us down the wrong track.”

“I get what you’re saying,” Nathan said. “You think the culprit wanted to make us believe that Ryan died first.”

“Yes. And they only would’ve done that if Ryan had _not_ died before Aidan.”

“I see,” Niamh muttered, her eyes betraying the deep thought going on inside her head. “Then, if Aidan had died first, there would be no way he could stab Ryan.”

“Ryan’s death was instantaneous!” Michael cried, recalling the Monobear File.

Aisling’s face lit up. “Then…then…”

“Stay calm, Aisling,” Niamh told her. “We haven’t examined all of the facts just yet.” She eyed the Ultimate All-Rounder, standing on the opposite side of the circle. “You mentioned having found some important evidence in the third floor chemistry lab, didn’t you?”

“That’s right. There was a cabinet filled with various poisons, one of which was likely used to murder Aidan.”

Louise held up her notepad. “I have the details written in here. There were four poisons that we examined: Monobear Poison Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta.”

Monobear sighed happily. “Ah, some of my personal favourites! Completely lethal, every last one of them.”

“There were only four?” Nathan inquired.

“No,” Jack replied. “There _were_ others in the cabinet, but those four that Louise mentioned were the only ones that showed signs of being disturbed.”

“And there’s no chance that the killer made it _look_ that way in order to trick us?” Ciara asked.

“I doubt it,” Jack said. “The floor around the cabinet was covered in poison powder. Judging by the fact that the Monobear Poison Beta bottle was the only one that had been damaged, I’d say that that was the source of the powder.”

Louise flicked to the entry on the poison in question. “ _‘This enchanted powder is moderately potent and takes effect within a few minutes. This powder cannot be dissolved in water. Though its volatility is low when ingested or inhaled, this substance is also dangerous when it comes into contact with naked skin.’_ ”

Michael groaned. “That was the poison that I touched, wasn’t it?”

“You _touched_ it?” Ciara cried.

“I didn’t _mean_ to!” the Ultimate Vet protested. “Some of it must’ve spilled out into my hand without me realising it.”

He held out his injured hand to show the other students, who were shocked by the scale of the damage that had been done.

“Are you going to be alright?” Aisling asked in a worried voice.

Michael glanced warily at his scarred hand. “Well, the damaged tissue hasn’t spread beyond the area that touched the poison. I haven’t been experiencing any numbness, either. That’s probably a good sign.”

“You’ll be fine,” Monobear reassured him. “That particular poison won’t kill you unless it’s ingested directly. Your hand will heal. Eventually.”

Michael gulped, but nodded, dropping his hand slowly to his side again.

“Incidentally,” Louise suddenly said, “there was something else of interest to be found in the laboratory.”

“What was it?” Ciara asked.

“Footprints. Shoeprints, in fact. They were left in the powder, and they lead to and from the cabinet.”

Niamh inhaled sharply. “What…what colour was this ‘powder’?”

“It was a sort of…whitish colour. Almost a kind of yellow.”

Niamh looked grave, pausing briefly before speaking. “I found white, powdery stains on the bottom of Ryan’s shoes.”

Aisling flinched. “N-no…”

“We could check the footprints in the lab,” Louise suggested. “To see if they match the shoes Ryan was wearing?”

“No need!” Monobear cried cheerfully. “I can safely tell you all that those prints do _indeed_ match Ryan’s shoes!”

“But…but…” Aisling was too stunned to fully formulate a coherent sentence.

“Just because Ryan’s _shoes_ were in the lab doesn’t mean _he_ was,” Nathan said, before shaking his head hurriedly. “That’s not what I meant…”

“You think the killer stole Ryan’s shoes and walked to the lab in them?” Louise gave the Ultimate Lucky Student a sceptical look. “What would that even accomplish?”

Nathan scowled, but kept his mouth shut.

Ciara decided to lead the discussion down a different track. “So, this ‘Monobear Poison Beta’…d’you think the killer used it on Aidan?”

“That depends on _how_ Aidan was poisoned,” Jack answered. “Which we still haven’t figured out.”

“I…might have an idea.”

The gathered students turned to face the girl who had spoken.

Aisling swallowed, before holding out an empty, plastic bottle of water. “I found this at the crime scene. Fionn, you saw me pick it up near the wall, remember?”

The Ultimate Rugby Star nodded. “Yeah, I do. You said it belonged to Aidan, didn’t you?”

“It did,” Aisling replied quietly. “I’ve seen him use it plenty of times before.”

“But why was he carrying a bottle of water with him?” Michael asked.

Nathan muttered, “Why were the two of them out in the foyer during Night Time, in the first place?”

“I think I know why,” Aisling responded, in a low voice. “The foyer’s on the way back to the dormitories from the swimming pool.”

Fionn’s eyes widened. “That’s right! Those two lads always went swimming together at night!”

“And how did you know that?” Louise asked him.

“I joined them a few times,” he admitted. “They invited me.”

“They invited me, too,” Nathan told them. “I never actually went through with it, mind. They…told me I wouldn’t need to bring my shorts.”

Fionn and Aisling’s faces instantly turned scarlet at the Ultimate Lucky Student’s words.

“Skinny dipping?” Jack raised an eyebrow.

Louise regarded the rugby player with a measure of curiosity. “Fionn, did you…?”

Fionn gritted his teeth. “Th-that doesn’t matter!” he spluttered. “They went swimming every night, alright? They must’ve been on their way out when…”

“And you think that Aidan’s water bottle had been poisoned?” Louise asked the Ultimate Boxer, who nodded.

“We all had a look around the crime scene, and _this_ was the only thing that the poison could’ve been in.”

“Then, it’s settled,” Michael declared. “The killer must’ve put some of that Monobear Poison Beta into Aidan’s bottle.”

“You’ve got that wrong, Mick,” Jack told him. “It couldn’t have been Poison Beta that killed him.”

The vet frowned. “Why not?”

“It doesn’t dissolve in water,” the all-rounder reminded him. “Neither does Poison Alpha, which is apparently susceptible to hydrolysis.”

“Making those two poisons useless in water,” Niamh remarked. “I see.”

“That only leaves poisons Gamma and Delta,” Nathan said. “So which one killed Aidan?”

“Well,” Jack began, “there are a few differences between Poison Gamma and Poison Delta. Gamma’s a powder, but Delta’s a liquid.”

“Can Poison Gamma be dissolved in water?” Ciara asked.

“Yes, it can.” Louise returned once again to her notes. “And Poison Delta is described as being ‘largely indistinguishable from water’.”

“And only a small amount of Poison Delta can be fatal,” Jack concluded.

“In fact, it says that only two teaspoons in a litre of water would be enough to kill someone,” Louise commented, reading from her notepad.

“Either one of them could’ve been used,” Fionn observed. “It still would’ve caused Aidan to die, wouldn’t it?”

“Does it even matter which poison was used?” Nathan pondered.

“It does,” Jack said firmly. “One of the key differences between the two poisons is their rate of effectiveness. Poison Gamma takes effect after several hours of being in the body. But Poison Delta starts to work almost immediately after it’s been ingested.”

“So if Poison Gamma had been used,” Nathan said, the gears in his head turning, “Aidan wouldn’t have died in the foyer. He was probably drinking from that bottle after he got out of the pool, or even during the swimming session. The poison wouldn’t have killed him until he was at least back in his room. I doubt he’d just stay out in the foyer for a few hours in the dead of night.”

“So it must’ve been Monobear Poison Delta that was used to kill him,” Jack asserted. “Which means that a certain piece of evidence has just become more significant.”

Louise blinked. “What do you mean?”

But Niamh understood. “You’re talking about that last sentence in the Monobear File; ‘Both victims show signs of having vomited blood.’”

Jack smiled in triumph. “That’s right. And, from what the description on the label said, even a trace amount of Poison Delta in water can cause internal damage.”

Fionn gaped. “So…so Ryan must’ve drunk some of that water, as well!”

“And he wouldn’t have drank water that he _knew_ was poisoned,” Nathan said, realisation flooding him. “Ryan _couldn’t_ have been the one to poison Aidan.”

“Then why are his footprints in the lab?” A frown creased the Ultimate Vet’s forehead. “What were they doing there?”

Niamh’s eyes fell upon the Ultimate Lucky Student. “Nathan, you were the one who suggested that the killer wore Ryan’s shoes into the lab.”

He blinked, before nodding quickly. “Yeah, I did. I think the culprit tried to trick us into thinking that Ryan took the poison from the lab by planting his footprints there.”

Jack followed with a comment of his own. “All along, the true culprit’s been leading us to believe that Ryan and Aidan killed each other, in an attempt to draw suspicion away from themselves.”

“But can you _prove_ that Ryan didn’t leave the footprints?” Louise asked. “It seems quite unlikely to me that someone would go to the trouble of taking his shoes just to create fake evidence.”

“You’re overlooking the obvious,” Jack told her.

“Am I?”

“Remember the other set of footprints we found? The ones that only led _away_ from the cabinet?”

Michael clicked his fingers. “Oh, yeah! I remember those! The kind of circular ones, right?”

“That’s right, Mick. There was a series of strange-looking footprints left in the powder.” Jack’s eyes flickered over to the Ultimate Journalist. “Odd, that you’d forget that, Louise. You were the one who drew that sketch of the crime scene, after all. Maybe you were hoping that _we’d_ forget?”

The journalist met the all-rounder’s steely gaze, remaining silent.

“What do those prints mean, Jack?” Nathan asked his friend, while keeping his own eyes locked on Louise.

“That means that whoever stole the Poison Delta accidentally spilled the Poison Beta _while_ they were standing at the cabinet.”

“And left _circular_ footprints?” Louise shot back, a touch harshly.

“All they’d have to do would be to walk on their heels.”

Louise flinched.

“I doubt the culprit intended to spill the poison, but they managed to use it to their advantage in framing Ryan for Aidan’s murder. All the while confusing our investigation. Isn’t that right, Louise?”

The journalist smiled serenely. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“No? Could I see the page in your notepad where you wrote down the descriptions for each of the poisons?”

“…But of course.” Louise passed the notepad along the circle, watching it move from one hand to another. Once Jack received the pad, he flicked it open to the page she had marked, scanning the descriptions therein.

The Ultimate All-Rounder smiled. “I see. Just as I suspected.”

Nathan frowned. “Jack? What did you find?”

Jack held up the notepad for all to see. “It says in here, on Monobear Poison Delta, that ‘two teaspoons of this poison in a litre of water is enough to cause a quick and painful death’.”

“Yes,” Louise said, in an impatient tone. “That’s the description you read from the label earlier.”

But Jack shook his head. “I’m afraid not. I deliberately said ‘two _tablespoons_ of water’, not ‘teaspoons’. I never actually _saw_ you transcribing our words when we were standing at that cabinet. Did you, Mick?”

The vet shrugged, looking bemused. “Eh, well…I wasn’t really paying attention to her. And then I hurt my hand.”

“I _was_ paying attention,” Jack announced. “And you didn’t once touch your pen to paper while we were standing at that cabinet. So how could you have written the exact descriptions of each of those four poisons?”

Fionn was staring at the Ultimate Journalist, with a hint of fear in his eyes. “She had to have seen it herself.”

“When she took the poison,” Aisling crowed. “I know you knew that Ryan and Aidan would be in the pool that night. I practically _told_ you they would.”

“Where is your evidence, Mr. Jones? All this ‘proof’ of yours amounts to is shoddy testimony from a single witness of dubious veracity.” A cold smile twisted Louise’s lips.

“I have all the evidence I need,” Jack assured her. “Provided that you take your shoes off?”

Louise’s smile dropped.

“What?” Ciara looked from Jack to Louise, and back again. “Why does she need to do that?”

Nathan leaned in from beside her. “Remember what happened when Michael touched Poison Beta? It damaged his hand, and badly. But the culprit must’ve walked on that powder in their bare feet.”

Michael’s eyes grew wide. “So, if she has those blisters on her heels, that’ll prove that she’s the culprit!”

Louise’s expression had now turned into an angry facsimile of its previous self. One eye twitched as she felt the angry stares of everyone in the courtroom.

“Well, Louise?” Niamh folded her arms as she regarded the journalist. “Will you comply with Jack’s request?”

Louise’s complexion had paled considerably from its usual, dark shade. “I…I…can’t.”

Jack cleared his throat. “I’ll go over this whole ordeal from the beginning. Then we’ll know for certain.

“Having learned from Aisling that Ryan and Aidan spent time every night in the swimming pool, the culprit planned to murder at least one of the boys. To that end, they entered the chemistry lab and examined the poisons therein, taking note of each of their descriptions, until they found the ideal one. Unfortunately for them, the culprit accidentally spilled some Monobear Poison Beta all over the floor. Realising that they would have left shoeprints in the powder, the culprit removed their shoes and walked on their bare heels out of the lab. However, as this particular poison is harmful to skin, the culprit developed severe blisters on their heels. Later, as the two victims were swimming, the culprit must’ve broken into the changing room and slipped some Monobear Poison Delta into the first water bottle they could find. Ryan and Aidan both drank from the bottle, but only Aidan received a fatal dose, with Ryan still suffering internal trauma. Aidan died in the centre of the foyer, while Ryan was found and stabbed by the culprit. Then, the killer manipulated the bodies so that Aidan’s body lay on top of Ryan’s. The culprit then stole Ryan’s shoes and walked back to the chemistry lab to replace the poison they had stolen earlier, thus leaving Ryan’s shoeprints in the powder. All of this was done in order to make us believe that the two boys killed each other.

But, the only person who could’ve done all of this is you, Louise Smythe!”

“Do you deny it?” Niamh questioned, trying to hide the tremble in her voice.

The journalist’s lip curled in an expression of fury. “…No. Everything you have just said is true.”

“You bitch!” Aisling howled. “You monster! How could you?!”

“How could I…what?” Louise asked, feigning a sickly-sweet tone. “Murder the objects of your worthless fantasies? Break up your little _ménage a trois_?”

Aisling let out a sound of uncontrolled rage, only to be interrupted by Monobear.

“Hey, hey! It’s not over yet!” The bear pressed a switch, causing the screens on everybody’s podiums to light up. “We haven’t gotten the voting out of the way!”

There were a few seconds of silence as everyone pressed the icon on their screen that portrayed the true killer. Soon after, Monobear clapped his paws together and proclaimed, “Congrats, everyone! You all worked out once again whodunnit! The culprit – the person who did away with not one, but _two_ of your fellow students – was none other than Louise Smythe!”

“I thought you were my friend, Louise!” Niamh snapped, her emotions finally giving way. “ _Our_ friend! How could you have done this?!”

“What choice did I have?!” Louise shrieked back at the model. “Would you rather we all stayed in here for the rest of our miserable existences? Stifling and stagnating, deprived from any sort of contact with the world? I couldn’t last another day in this hell! Especially not with any of you, who were all so content to live out your worthless lives in a twisted prison!”

“You think we _enjoy_ this?” Nathan scowled. “You think we _like_ being forced to live like rats in a cage?!”

“If you’re so against it, then how come you never actually took matters into your own hands?” the journalist accused. “None of you, not _one_ that stands among us today would dare to stain your hands in order to survive. What sort of human being would do such a thing? The others who have gone before – Deirdre, Seán and even Alex, to an extent – were all willing to put their petty morals beneath them in order to escape this place. In that way, they have _far_ more worth than any of you!” Louise regarded her so-called companions with a hateful sneer. “How does it feel to be regarded as less than murderers?”

Ciara bristled. “The only one who regards us as being ‘less than murderers’ is _you_!”

“And you’ve clearly proven how fucked-up _your_ sense of morality is,” Nathan contributed.

“Yeah!” Fionn yelled in agreement. “Why should we give a shit what you think about us? You killed Ryan and Aidan. There’s no coming back from that.”

“Why?” Aisling demanded. “Why did I have to be _them_ that you murdered?”

Louise stared impassively at the trembling girl for a few, lingering seconds, before sighing deeply.

“Truth be told,” she said, “I didn’t intend for them _both_ to die. That’s…just how things turned out…”

 

_The clock on the wall ticked ever closer to half-past eleven. In the semi-darkness, the foyer was deathly silent. Louise remained in her hiding spot atop the stairs, crouching low behind the handrail. She’d been waiting for the last half-hour, after creeping out of the changing room, where she’d slipped the poison into the water bottle. Whose water bottle it had been – Ryan’s or Aidan’s – she didn’t know. Either one of those two dying would be enough to get her out of this place without anybody finding out she’d been involved._

_She shifted her position, moving from one leg to the other, wincing when the pain in her heels flared once again. That awful powder she’d spilled had made more of a mess than even_ she _could’ve anticipated. Returning to the lab was no longer an option; she’d have to find somewhere else to hide the bottle of poison she’d taken._

_With less than a minute to go before 11:30, Louise’s heart leaped as she heard a pair of voices from down the corridor. Two males, laughing and joking amongst themselves. So far, nothing was amiss._

_She saw Aidan and Ryan stroll into the foyer, not more than thirty feet away from her position. Ryan muttered something that was too quiet for her to hear, but Aidan’s uproarious laughter that followed told her she didn’t need to know._

_Her stomach fluttered with the beginnings of panic. Had either of them even drunk the poisoned water yet? Nothing seemed to be happening._

_The Ultimate Dancer’s overly-loud voice drifted up to her. “…and then she said, ‘That was my_ sister _!’ Can you believe that?”_

_Aidan laughed again, only stopping when he had to cough. “Yeah, man, that was some…” He coughed again. “That was some-” Another cough._

_Louise sat up._

_“S-some…joke-” Another rasping cough came from the Ultimate Surfer._

_“Are you alright, man?”_

_“Y-yeah, I must’ve…just swallowed-” He coughed, and loudly. “Some ch-chlorine…” He gave another cough, and Louise could hear the fluid swirling around in his throat._

_“Aidan…?” Ryan’s voice was soft, concerned._

_The surfer spluttered and wheezed. “I…”_

_Louise was still hidden behind the handrail, so her view of the scene was blocked. However, she still heard Aidan retch, followed by an ugly splashing noise as he heaved blood up over the tiled floor. Then, there was a thud, which she took to be the surfer collapsing._

_“Oh my-” Ryan’s voice quivered. “Jesus Christ, Aidan! Aidan, what-”_

_There was another retching sound, accompanied by a howl of pain._

_“Aidan!” Ryan shrieked. “Someone help!”_

_And suddenly, there was a ghastly silence, as Aidan’s agony was ended. Ryan, too, had gone quiet, shuddering with shock and fear._

_“…Aidan?” The dancer’s voice was now scarcely more than a whisper. “Aidan? Aidan, please God, no…”_

_The journalist leaned out from around the handrail, gazing down at the spectacle she had created. She saw Ryan clutching desperately onto his friend’s still form, shaking the limp body slightly._

_“Please, Aidan,” Ryan whispered, through his tears. “Please.”_

_He croaked something that was muffled by the lump in his throat. Louise thought it had sounded an awful lot like ‘I love you’._

_Ryan titled his head upwards and let out a strangled scream, causing Louise to jump. She ducked down, praying that the movement hadn’t been spotted._

_After a few moments of sniffling, Ryan spoke. “Who’s there?”_

_Louise’s heart was pounding, her forehead beading with sweat._

_“Who’s there?!” Ryan shouted, and Louise jumped again._

_The Ultimate Journalist cursed her easily-startled self as Ryan’s footsteps thundered across the foyer, their pitch changing as he reached the stairs and began clambering upwards, growing closer with every step. Unconsciously, her hand slipped into her pocket, gripping the knife she had taken from the refectory a few hours earlier. She never thought she’d need to use it. She’d only stolen it as a precaution._

_But now, she could hear the Ultimate Dancer’s heavy breathing, oddly choked and raspy, approaching her hiding place._

_“I know you’re there,” he hissed. “I saw you. J-just come out…and…”_

_Louise held her breath, not daring to move a muscle._

_“You…you’re the one who killed him, aren’t you? You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t.”_

_Louise felt the pressure in her lungs start to build as the boy rounded the corner. She was directly within his line of sight now. Ryan turned to face her, and suddenly his watery eyes were staring straight into hers._

_“…You did this to him,” he mumbled._

_Louise stood slowly, drawing herself up to her fullest height. She met the boy’s gaze full-on, and she nodded._

_It was disturbing, how quickly Ryan’s expression shifted from one of despair and grief to one of pure, animalistic rage. His eyes bulged and his lips peeled back over his teeth as he bellowed and charged._

_“I’ll kill you!” he roared._

_Louise brought the knife around from behind her back and thrust it directly forward. Ryan was running too fast; he was blind to the oncoming danger. He ran onto the blade, piercing his chest._

_Louise held the boy’s fearful and horrified gaze as the light faded from his eyes. At the last second before he slipped away, he lurched forwards and heaved blood straight onto the journalist’s blouse. Louise cried out, shoving the boy away from her. He toppled backwards over the top step of the staircase, and there was a deafening series of_ _thud_ _s as he fell down the stairs. He came to a stop as he rolled onto his back at the foot of the stairs, and lay still, blood blossoming outwards along the floor._

 _Louise gagged at the smell that wafted from the crimson stain: blood, mucus and vomit. It seemed that Ryan had drank some of the water, too. She hadn’t intended to kill_ both _of the boys._

_But, as she witnessed the carnage she had created in the school’s entrance hall, an idea sparked in her mind. Perhaps she could use the twin corpses to her advantage…_

 

“I stole Ryan’s shoes so that I could safely place the poison back where I had found it,” the Ultimate Journalist explained. “The fact that Ryan’s shoeprints were left on the scene was an added bonus. After that, I moved the bodies to try and make it seem as though the boys had murdered each other. Part of me thought that it would work. With that little scientist gone, I’d hoped that you would all be dumbfounded by the crime scene. I should have known better.”

With her speech concluded, Louise surveyed her former companions. “Will that be all, then? I believe I have an appointment with fate.”

“That you do!” Monobear cheered, slamming a fist down on the dreaded switch in front of his chair.

On cue, the walls of the chamber split and slid open, revealing the dark tunnel. Louise stepped down from her podium, turning away from the group and marching off down the tunnel. She kept her back to the others, hoping desperately that they would not see how her eyes swam with tears.

 _I don’t want to die_ , she thought. _I don’t. I don’t._

The students reluctantly followed the journalist into the darkness, barely even paying attention to Monobear usual cry of, “Let’s give it everything we’ve got! Iiiiiiit’s _punishment time!_ ”

When they found themselves in the execution room once more, it had again been transformed – this time into a hall or a venue, where one might hold a press conference. When the lights rose with a flourish, they revealed Louise, who had been chained up by her wrist and ankles in the centre of the stage. Lights now spun around her, shining brightly and flashing rapidly on and off, giving a strobe-like effect. Louise was practically blinded by the lights that so resembled camera flashes, wincing every time her vision was filled with the glare. She barely even noticed the papery screen that was placed between her and the ‘audience’.

The students witnessing the scene were blocked from seeing Louise’s suspended form by the screen. But the flashing lights gave them all a good view of her struggling silhouette, and the shadows of the sharp spears that rose up behind her, each wielded by a grinning Monobear. The journalist screamed in agony at the spears pierced her arms, legs and her torso, sending blood splattering onto the screen. She twisted and writhed as the spears were retracted, only to scream horrifically once again as they stabbed her over and over and over. The Ultimate Journalist’s tortured shrieks eventually died out as the blood drained from her mangled body, which finally hung limp from the chains that bound it.

The Monobears walked to the front of the stage, standing between the audience and the screen, wielding the long spears that, the students now realised, were actually giant, sharpened pens. With their bloody instruments, the bears set to work, painting the paper on the screen with the journalist’s own blood. They etched out a handful of symbols that were unfamiliar to all but two of the students present. Nathan and Jack both stiffened when the Monobears stepped back from their work and bowed low before the crimson characters that now shone brightly on the screen:

**江ノ島**

It was the same set of symbols the two boys had seen on the blackboard in one of the second floor classrooms. And then Nathan had found it again on the next floor up. Now, the multiple Monobears were prostrating themselves before it. What could it mean?

The Monobear in the middle of the group glanced over his shoulder, eyes widening when he caught sight of the teenagers standing there.

“Are you guys _still_ here?” he cried. “You were all so quiet, I thought you’d left!” His face settled down into his usual, malicious grin, an expression that was mirrored by his clones beside him. “Upupu…I guess you’ve all come to terms with my amazing punishments. _That_ one was called ‘The Pen is Mightier than the Spleen’. You sick freaks have obviously grown accustomed to the gore and violence.”

None of the students could muster the will to disagree with him. They realised that Monobear’s crude words were at least partially true. Mostly, they were still stupefied by Louise’s sudden transformation into the twisted murderer she truly was.

“…Man, you guys really are no fun anymore,” Monobear said, with a pout. “But, in case you were wondering, dear little Louise was _not_ the spy within your group. In other words, the mole still lurks among you.”

The principal gave another giggle. “Upupupu! Now, go on. Get outta here!”

With a shake of his fists, Monobear dismissed the students.

 

***

 

It was still early in the afternoon when Nathan and the others emerged into the foyer. The two bodies had been cleared away, along with any bloodstains. There wasn’t even a trace of any murder having been committed; the entire hall was now so clean as to be sparkling.

As ever, there was an awkward moment as the students all lingered in the foyer, nobody wanting to be the first to leave.  Nathan’s thoughts were awhirl, having been sent into a frenzy by the reappearance of that strange symbol. He excused himself from the group and wandered numbly back to his room.

He, like many of the others, just wanted to be alone.

 

 

 

** 7 STUDENTS REMAINING: **

Ultimate Model – Niamh Clarke

Ultimate Rugby Star – Fionn Healey

Ultimate All-Rounder – Jack Jones

Ultimate Guitarist – Ciara Maguire

Ultimate Lucky Student – Nathan Murphy

Ultimate Vet – Michael Reynolds

Ultimate Boxer – Aisling Taggart


	32. Chapter 0: Mnemosyne - Part 1

Nathan winced as another hail of bullets tore through a desk right next to the one he was hiding behind, sending splinters shooting dangerously close. It was loud. Louder than he’d expected. His ears were ringing so much that he could barely hear what the gunner was now shouting.

“No point in hiding, idiots! I know you’re there!”

Another round of bullets, then silence for a moment as he stopped to reload.

The boy next to Nathan took this as his chance to lean over and whisper. “We have to run, Murph. We’re not going to last much longer back here.”

Nathan glanced over at the other boy: Seán Gleeson, the Ultimate GAA Head. His expression was filled with determination.

“What d’you think we should do?” Nathan asked him.

Seán brandished his hurl, grinning. “I’ll give him a clatter with _this_. See how he likes that.”

The room was filled with the sound of machinegun fire once again, and Seán rolled his eyes.

“Missed again,” he muttered, during the silence that followed. “What kind of eejits give a gun to the Ultimate _Debater_?”

On Nathan’s other side, another boy leaned over. He was tall, and dressed in a ragged green jersey that matched the colour of his eyes. His ginger hair, so usually kept immaculate, was now tangled and unkempt. Christopher Coffey, the Ultimate Soccer Player, winked.

“What’s the plan, Murph?”

Nathan jerked his head towards the boy in the tattered Kilkenny jersey. “Gleeson’s going to run up and hit him with his hurl.”

Christopher’s eyebrows shot up. “Is he _serious_? You’re going to get yourself killed!”

“What, d’you have a better idea?” Seán fired back, accusingly.

“When he has to reload again,” the soccer player said, “the three of us’ll run at him. Take him by surprise, like. Before he knows who to shoot, we’ll batter him together.”

“How’s that any better than _my_ plan?” Seán grumbled.

“We don’t have time to think of something else,” Nathan reminded them. “We’ll go as soon as he starts to reload, alright?”

Seán glowered, but said, “Fine.” He took a deep breath, before releasing it slowly, anticipating his next move. “Good luck, Chrissy,” he muttered.

Christopher grinned. “Same to you, Gleeson.”

Just then, the gunfire started up again. Nathan counted to five before the deafening sound was cut off, replaced by the cursing of the gunner as he searched for more ammunition. On cue, the three boys vaulted over the desks and sprinted towards him.

Matthew Doyle, the Ultimate Debater, panicked as he saw the three of them hurtling towards him with frightening speed. He fumbled with the round of ammunition as he tried to slot it into the gun, only to cry out as the trio collided with him.

Seán swung his hurl as hard as he could, knocking it against the debater’s skull. Doyle fell to the floor, dropping the gun as he lost consciousness. Fortunately for them all, it didn’t go off. Just for good measure, Seán swung the hurl at the unconscious student again.

Nathan exhaled in relief. “Are youse alright?”

They responded in the affirmative. Seán knelt down to examine the student they had just attacked.

“This bastard isn’t, though,” he commented, rolling up the boy’s sleeve and wincing. On the debater’s forearm was the symbol that now littered the school, carved into his flesh by a knife. The characters that made up the symbol glistened with dried blood and damaged tissue.

**江ノ島**

Lately, Nathan had been seeing the symbol everywhere. On the bodies of their foes, on the walls of the corridors and classrooms…and always written in blood, too. He was damned if he knew what the symbol meant, though.

Seán shook his head. “Why do these Ultimate Despair freaks do that to themselves?”

“Apparently, it’s to show their devotion to despair,” Nathan replied. “They’re supposed to reopen the wound every time it heals, to remind themselves of their devotion.”

“Christ,” Seán murmured, standing back up again.

“And that’s not the worst thing they do, either. One of them apparently flays himself every day. And another’s been starving themselves for weeks at a time. All in order to feel despair.”

Seán shook his head incredulously. “And _these_ are the people who’re running this place? No wonder the school’s gone to the dogs.”

Christopher chuckled mirthlessly. “That’s one way to put it.”

As one, they all glanced around the hallway, at the devastation that lay around them. The corridors and classrooms alike had been cluttered with desks and tables, and the air was filled with a lingering, foul stench of gunpowder and blood. No light could penetrate the iron plates buckled into the windows, leaving the building’s interior in a perpetual gloom.

How long had it been this way? Time had lost all meaning within the walls of St. Elpis’ College. All Nathan could remember was the cries and shouts of angry voices, growing louder and louder, until they were just outside the door. The principal had ordered everyone, staff members and students alike, to lend a hand in boarding up the doors, barricading the windows and sealing themselves into the school. Just when everyone had thought they were safe from the unknown menace of the outside, _they_ had struck. Ultimate Despair had infiltrated the school, and now they ruled it. The greatest danger to St. Elpis’ had been within it all along.

Whenever Nathan had asked someone, _anyone_ , what had caused the principal to start the great lock-in, they always said the same thing:

_“The biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history.”_

And now, the students’ lives had been turned upside-down by the tyrannical rule of Ultimate Despair. Those who refused to submit to despair were killed, and usually tortured beforehand. The staff had been the first to go. Then most of the first-years. All that was left in St. Elpis’ were the remnants of hope: a few students that clung to hope in whatever way they could, fighting back against Ultimate Despair at any cost.

And Nathan himself was at the forefront of that battle. Himself, his classmates, and a handful of others. But time was running out. If they didn’t retaliate soon, Ultimate Despair would have them cornered. And then, likely enough, they would all die, leaving Ultimate Despair free to control the school however they pleased.

 _We’re not going to let that happen,_ Nathan swore. _For our lost friends, we_ will _keep fighting._

“Everything alright, Murph?”

Christopher’s voice called Nathan back to the present. “Yeah, I’m grand. The others are waiting upstairs for us.”

The two other boys nodded, making for the stairway, but Nathan stopped them.

“Hold on a minute.” He pointed to the gun that the Ultimate Debater had dropped. “We should bring that with us.” The words were bitter in his mouth, but he knew they would need every advantage they could get for their final battle.

Seán understood. He bent over and picked up the gun off the floor, taking great care to point the muzzle away from anything or anyone important.

“D’you know how to use that?” Christopher asked.

Seán replied, “I’ll learn.”

Nathan said, “Be careful. Let’s go.”


	33. Chapter 5: An Imperial Affliction - Part 1

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

Nathan woke with a start, lurching up out of his bed and gasping, struggling to throw the last dregs of the nightmare out of his mind. But the dream had been so clear, so vivid in its horror, that it proved difficult to shake. The images stayed with him, even as his heart rate slowed and his senses returned to him.

No. It hadn’t been a dream. He knew now, for certain, that what he had been experiencing every night in his sleep for the last week or so was too vivid to be a dream. They were memories, experiences that hadn’t been fully erased by the mastermind. They were returning to him, one-by-one. The last few months spent in St. Elpis’…they had been a living hell. First, the terrible chaos that seemed to surround him, swallowing the hearts and minds of the common people. Then, the principal ordering the staff and students to be locked into the school. Then…

Ultimate Despair.

He didn’t know who or even what they were – some kind of terrorist organisation, maybe? But, from what memories he had managed to scrounge up from the recesses of his mind, it had definitely been _them_ who had transformed life inside the school so utterly. And they were clearly connected to the symbol that Nathan had been spotting around the school, the dream had just confirmed it. Whatever those characters indicated was of deep significance to the members of Ultimate Despair. Monobear had drawn it, too; was the mastermind a member? Then Ultimate Despair was linked to the situation they were all trapped in _now_ , as well.

Nathan groaned in frustration. Questions bounced around inside his skull, searching desperately for answers that still remained locked in his memories, yet to be awoken. At the rate things were going, his memories might eventually return in full. But how long would that take? There were only seven students left alive; they were all running out of time. What would happen if their number was reduced even further? Who would survive to the finish? Nathan didn’t want to think that anybody left among his living companions were capable of murder. But he had thought the same of Louise, only for her to turn on them in the end. Who was to say any of the others couldn’t do the same? Optimistic Michael, energetic Aisling, good-hearted Fionn, innocent Niamh…even Jack or Ciara. He _wanted_ to trust them all, he truly did. But despair did strange things to people. That was plain from both the past and the present.

He had no idea how long he lay there in his bed for, but his buzzing mind soon began to taper off, and he felt the tender hands of sleep pulling him gently into its embrace once more.

 

***

 

Jack woke to the sound of Monobear’s morning announcement. He blinked sleepily, wondering when, exactly, he had fallen asleep. He’d spent most of the previous day alone in his bedroom, staring intently at the ceiling. He’d failed again. Two murders, followed by the execution of the killer. At the start of this sick game of Monobear’s, he’d sworn that he wouldn’t let anyone get hurt. Then his own girlfriend had been the first to die. Others followed in Gráinne’s wake, until there were only seven left.

Worse still, the dreams that haunted him nightly showed him things he never wanted to see; happy memories, experiences shared with friends and loved ones, all under the roof of St. Elpis’. The time he had spent with Gráinne, their first kiss, the days spent together in the school grounds…and more. She’d been so caring, so accepting of who – of _what_ – he really was. What would she think of him now? He’d made so much progress over the years, only for everything to come hurtling back once his memories were stolen.

Those pleasant memories of life in St. Elpis’ College…how had it all led to _this_? His memories were still irritatingly sparse, filled with holes, and slow to return. His dreams offered the only answers. But never the answers that he’d wanted to find.

Shaking off the last dregs of sleep, Jack slid off his bed and staggered over to the bathroom. A warm shower would do him some good, or so he hoped.

Jack was surprised to find the refectory empty when he went to have breakfast at half-past seven. The long dining table, which had seated sixteen students only a few weeks ago, was now surrounded by empty chairs. Jack remembered the morning that the photographs appeared on that table, wincing and gritting his teeth when he recalled the crumpled photograph that now lay hidden in his bedroom. The guilt he felt at lying to his friends wasn’t enough to override the shame he’d feel if they found out.

So caught up was the Ultimate All-Rounder in his guilt-ridden daydreaming that he didn’t notice the person sneaking up behind him until it was too late.

“Alright, Jack?”

Jack jumped, gasping aloud and whirling around on the spot to see a bemused Michael Reynolds standing there.

“Is that a ‘no’?” the vet quipped.

Jack slumped, resting his hands on his knees. “You scared the shit out of me! I thought I was…”

“…Going to be attacked?” Michael supplied, with a raised eyebrow.

“I thought I was on my own. Didn’t hear you walk in.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jack said, trying a smile as he sat down and poured himself a bowl of porridge. But even as he began eating, he felt the Ultimate Vet’s gaze burning through the top of his head. After a few tense moments, Jack found he couldn’t stand it anymore.

The all-rounder’s head snapped up to meet the vet’s eye. “Is there something wrong?”

Michael seemed taken-aback. “Huh? Oh…no, sorry. I’m just wonderin’…” He hesitated.

“What?”

“Well…you heard what Monobear said yesterday. Louise wasn’t the spy. There’s still someone among us who’s workin’ for the mastermind.”

Jack’s eyes squeezed shut, his face taking on a pained expression.

Michael went on. “I wanted to ask…” His eyes seemed to harden, if only for a brief second. “Do you know who the spy is?”

“…How could I?”

“Do you or don’t you?” Michael asked firmly.

“Of course not!” Jack protested. “The spy, whoever they are, has done too good of a job keeping themselves hidden so far. They wouldn’t reveal themselves to anyone just like that.” He swallowed nervously under the vet’s stern gaze. “At least, that’s what I think.”

Michael regarded the Ultimate All-Rounder for a few seconds more, before saying, “Are you positive?”

“Yes. There’s no way I _could_ know who the spy is.”

Michael nodded. “Yeah. Alright.” He raised a hand to his face, rubbing his forehead gently. “Sorry. Things have been a bit stressful. And the thought of there being a spy in our group is…”

Jack waved a hand dismissively. “I know how you feel. Don’t worry.”

Michael looked as though he wanted to say something else, but, just then, the doors of the refectory opened and Fionn, Aisling and Niamh entered, effectively putting an end to the two boys’ conversation.

 

***

 

As he was finishing his breakfast, Fionn noticed Niamh hurrying out of the refectory. Even though they’d mainly been linked by their mutual friend in Alex, and despite their disagreement the day before, Fionn still cared about the Ultimate Model. Seeing her even more reticent than usual bothered him. He elected to follow her out of the refectory, so he hurriedly finished his cereal and sprinted after her.

He caught up to her in the lounge. The girl had slowed to a halt once she’d heard the rugby star’s heavy footfalls behind her in the corridor, although she hadn’t turned around. She stood in the centre of the room, facing the dormitory hallway.

“Niamh,” Fionn began. “We should talk.”

The model kept her voice level. “About what?”

Fionn grimaced. “W-well…I wanted to see how you were.”

“I’m fine, Fionn. There’s no need to-”

“You’re _not_ ‘fine’, alright?” Fionn cut her off, his voice raised. “That’s not even a little bit true.”

“It _is_ true,” Niamh insisted, her voice strained. “You’ve nothing to worry about.”

“Then why won’t you turn around and look at me?”

She stiffened, but remained facing away.

“I know we haven’t had much of a chance to talk since Alex…but still, I want to help. You’re my friend, too. I can’t just stand by and watch you suffer in silence, you know?”

“…”

“Talk to me,” Fionn pleaded. “To _anyone_. We’re all on your side.”

“…Is that really true?”

Fionn froze. “You really believe what Monobear said about the spy?”

“It’s the only way he could’ve discovered our attempt to break into the upstairs office. Logically, the mole must exist.”

“I…I don’t want to believe it’s true. I trust everyone here. You should, too,” he told her.

“And then what? I trusted Louise. And Alex, too. Look how well that worked out.” The model’s voice took on the nasal quality of someone close to tears. “My two closest friends in this place both resorted to murder. How am I supposed to trust _anyone_ after that?!”

Her shrill words hit him like a blow to the chest. “I-I…”

A cold silence fell between them both. For the first time since their conversation began, Niamh turned her head slightly to the right, so that she could look back at the Ultimate Rugby Star.

“I don’t know who could be next,” she whispered. “Please, just leave me be.”

And with that, she strode off towards the dormitories. Fionn lingered behind in the lounge, dumbstruck, until he heard her bedroom door slam shut.

 

*** 

 

Nathan’s feet itched with potential energy, urging him to leave his room and take a walk. His brain agreed with his body. After all, the next floor of the school building had probably been opened up by Monobear. He hadn’t seen Ciara since yesterday. Maybe he’d bump into her if he went wandering around the newly-opened floor?

So he climbed the many flights of stairs, leading up and up, until he finally came to the fourth floor. The first thing he noticed when he reached the landing was that there was no set of stairs leading further up the stairwell. In other words, he had come to the top floor of St. Elpis’ College. At long last.

He wandered the corridors, observing the signs marked ‘Biology Lab’, 'Music Room', ‘Computer Room’ and ‘Upper Deck’. His heart leaped upon seeing the third of those signs: he remembered reading about a rooftop deck in St. Elpis’, with stunning views of the school grounds and the surrounding countryside. Supposedly the building was tall enough for Dublin to be seen from the upper deck, if the weather was fair. Finally, he’d be able to see the outside world again, to feel fresh air on his face…

But, when he came to the door that led to the deck, he was greeted with a hulking padlock that fastened it shut. To add insult to injury, the padlock was marked with a picture of Monobear’s grinning face. Nathan let out a sound of deep frustration, before turning his back on the door and storming off.

The Biology Lab held nothing of interest to him. Neither did the Computer Room. However, just as there had been on the floors below, there was a set of classrooms along a corridor near the stairwell. Seeing as how the previous floors’ classrooms had been of great interest to him, he decided to explore the top floor halls, as well. What he found within shocked him.

He hadn’t thought that these classrooms could be any more disordered than the ones on the third floor had been. He’d been wrong, of course. There wasn’t a table or chair in the hall left intact – every single one had been severely damaged, torn up, or taken apart. Scratch marks had been gouged into the walls, and fragments of shattered glass lay dangerously on the floor. But worst of all was the blood. The walls, floor, tables and chairs were nearly all stained with the gruesome colour of blood, and the stench was almost unbearable. Nathan’s gut churned as he waded through the wreckage, making for the blackboard at the front of the room. As usual, the board was covered in words written in various languages. It was similar to one of the blackboards he had seen on the second floor, in that the word ‘despair’ featured prominently. However, each translation of the word was now either prefixed or suffixed with another word, with each language having its own interpretation:

_Éadóchas is fearr._

_Désespoir grand._

_Perfetto disperazione._

And so on. Nathan’s limited grasp of Irish, coupled with his common sense, told him that the words written all over the blackboard were loosely translated to ‘Ultimate Despair’. The same term from his dreams. But what little information on the group he had was annoyingly vague. Furthermore, the mysterious symbol was in its usual spot at the top of the board. The mastermind was rubbing that symbol in Nathan’s face, and yet he was still nowhere close to figuring out its meaning.

Although investigating the first classroom had practically turned his stomach, Nathan pressed on and entered the next hall. The classroom’s chaotic appearance was almost identical to the one before it. Only the blackboard had really changed. This time, a chalk drawing of Monobear was at the board’s centre, wearing his usual grin, while the foreign words circled around him:

_Monobéar._

_Monobär._

Ever the same as before, with that same, bizarre symbol hovering above the picture. What purpose did writing in all these languages serve? Why would anyone need to translate Monobear’s name? If the mastermind was attempting to confuse him, Nathan thought, they were doing a good job.

Dazed and perplexed, Nathan left the second classroom and passed through to the last one. Just like its predecessors, the hall was in a horrible state. The most interesting thing of all, yet again, was the blackboard. But this time, there was something different. The symbol wasn’t in its typical place near the top, but rather alongside the other words that dotted the board. Upon further inspection, it was actually just _same_ word, written over and over again:

What was the message trying to say? That the word ‘Enoshima’ was the same in every language? What did _that_ mean?

Frustrated, and feeling even more confused than he had been before, Nathan left the classroom, only to walk straight into the Ultimate Boxer.

“Oh, eh, sorry!” Nathan stammered, staggering backwards slightly from the collision. Fortunately, it seemed Aisling hadn’t been hurt, or indeed affected at all, by the accident. “Are you alright?”

Aisling hesitated. “…Y-yeah. I’m okay.”

An uncomfortable silence arose between them both. A silence Nathan was determined to fill.

“I’m sorry about the two lads,” Nathan said. “Aidan and Ryan. I know they were your friends.”

“…”

“I mean, it’s not like they weren’t my friends, either,” he added hurriedly. “I just…never really got a chance to have a chat with them. Ah, well, I _did_ speak with Aidan once or twice, but…” He trailed off, seeing that his nervous babbling wasn’t helping the conversation flow any more than it had been.

“…Right,” the Ultimate Lucky Student muttered, after another awkward silence. “I’ll…talk to you later, Aisling.”

He brushed past the boxer and started down the corridor, only to come to a stop upon hearing her voice call out to him.

“Nathan, wait.”

He turned to see her staring back at him, her eyes filled with a newfound strength.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to give you the cold shoulder just now. I was just thinking about some stuff.”

Nathan shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. We’re all a bit tired and upset lately.”

The girl’s brow was suddenly creased with an angry frown. “That’s no excuse. I’m the Ultimate Boxer; I have to roll with the punches. I should be quick to recover when life get me down.” Her shoulders slumped with a sigh. “But here I am, moping like everyone else. What would my brothers think if they could see me now?”

Nathan grimaced. “You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. You’d have to be some kind of superhero to be able to cope with all this shite without getting even a _bit_ upset.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Aisling admitted. “But I’ve decided that I’m not going to mope any more. I’m going to keep hope alive, like Jack always says. I promise.”

He blinked. “Oh. Right. Well, good luck with that.”

She chuckled. “Yeah, cheers. But, can I ask what you were doing in that classroom?”

Nathan glanced at the door the girl was pointing towards. “In there? I’ve been looking around all the classrooms on this floor. I’ve been doing this every time a new floor gets opened up.”

“Find anything interesting?” Without waiting for a reply, Aisling pushed the door open and entered the classroom, letting out a yelp when she saw the state of the interior.

“They’re all like this,” Nathan commented as he followed her through. “On _this_ floor, anyway.”

“Jesus,” she breathed. “What happened?”

“I…don’t know,” Nathan muttered, aware he was telling a half-truth. “But I’ve been trying to figure out what’s written on the blackboards in each classroom. Sometimes it’s fairly easy to tell. But _this_ one…”

He eyed the board in question, with the same word written over and over again, alongside the mysterious symbol.

Aisling frowned as she approached the board. “What does ‘Enoshima’ mean?”

“I haven’t a clue,” Nathan replied. “Usually, on these blackboards, they’ll have the same thing written out in tonnes of different languages. But this one just says ‘Enoshima’. And those weird symbols.” He pointed at the characters that had been following him around.

“Are they, like, Japanese, or something?” Aisling wondered.

Nathan shook his head. “I don’t know-” He paused, a thought having struck him. “Hold on. If that symbol _is_ Japanese, and the only things written on the board is the word ‘Enoshima’…”

“What?” Aisling frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“…I might’ve just figured something out.” Nathan’s heart was racing, and his eyes lit up with excitement. “I think I’ve finally got it!”

“Got _what_?” the Ultimate Boxer demanded, sighing when the boy sprinted out of the room without bothering to give her an answer.

Aisling was left alone in the disordered classroom. She couldn’t put her finger on why, but the hall gave her chills just standing in it. Maybe it was the bloodstains? Either way, she didn’t linger by herself in the classroom, deciding instead to go back downstairs. Perhaps she would visit the gym?

 

*** 

 

Nathan ran, tripping down the last flight of stairs and toppling head-over-heels onto the floor of the foyer. Too excited to feel the pain, he hobbled to his feet and resumed his mad dash to the dormitories. He ran past the numbered doors, stopping only when he came to number sixteen. Without bothering to knock, Nathan barged through the door, coming across a startled Jack.

“Nathan?!” In his surprise, Jack fumbled with a papery object, before shoving it into one of his desk drawers and slamming it shut. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry…Jack, but I’ve…got…something important…to tell you!” Nathan was gasping hard from having sprinted all the way from the top floor classroom, making his speech heavy and slow.

“You could’ve at least _knocked_ , or something,” Jack muttered sheepishly. “What if I was naked, or…or…you know?”

“If you _were_ …then you would’ve…locked the…door,” Nathan reasoned.

Jack opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it. Instead, he said, “Well, then what are you so worked-up about?”

“D’you…remember…hold on a second…”

And so Jack had to endure a few moments of hacking and gasping as the Ultimate Lucky Student tried to catch his breath.

“Alright,” Nathan choked eventually, “d’you remember that weird symbol that was written on nearly all of the different blackboards upstairs?”

“The Japanese-y one? Yeah, I remember it.”

“Well, I figured out what it means! It’s the Japanese spelling of the word ‘Enoshima’.”

Jack nodded. “Okay. Right.” He paused, waiting for the boy to continue.

“…That’s it.”

Jack slumped. “Are you serious? You came all that way, in a mad rush, just because you found out how to spell ‘Enoshima’ using Japanese characters?”

“Well, I was kind of hoping you’d know what ‘Enoshima’ meant. In English.”

“I already told you,” Jack groaned. “I’m not fluent in Japanese! How could I know what it means?”

“Well, you know how all of the boards had words written in all those different languages? One of the rooms on the top floor has a blackboard where the _only_ thing written on it is that word, over and over. Along with that symbol.”

Jack frowned. “Strange. What makes ‘Enoshima’ so different?”

“I thought that it might be the same in every language,” Nathan said, hesitantly. “Does that make any sense?”

Jack considered the information. “In that case…Enoshima must be a name. Like a place name, or a person’s name. But I’ve never heard of anything like it before.”

Nathan sighed. “Yeah, alright. That’s better than nothing. Thanks for your help, Jack.”

“Yeah, no problem. Take care.”

Nathan stumbled dejectedly out of the room, the door swinging shut automatically behind him.

Jack breathed a sigh of relief. Nathan had been too caught up in his excitement to notice Jack stashing the class photograph into his drawer. Even now, the Ultimate All-Rounder chose not to withdraw the picture again, for fear that Nathan would come careening back into the room.

Jack let out a weary groan as he fell backwards onto his bed, contemplating the ceiling above. How could he keep living like this? He was deceiving his friends, and the only people who cared about him. The only people who had _ever_ cared about him. Even Michael, who’d always been so cheerful and optimistic, was growing more and more suspicious of him.

It was only a matter of time before someone uncovered the truth.


	34. Chapter 0: Mnemosyne - Part 2

The Ultimate GAA Head slammed his fist against the door three times, shouting, “Open up!”

From the other side of the door, there was only silence.

Seán made a sound of pure frustration and impatience, hammering on the door again. “It’s _us_! Open the fuckin’ door!”

Nathan turned away from the classroom door to quickly scan the corridor once more. It was deserted, save for a pile of debris by the stairwell, a barricade of desks along the wall and the usual handful of corpses strewn about the place like bloody ragdolls. _These_ bodies, Nathan noted, were fresh, and dressed in tattered St. Elpis’ uniforms. He tried as hard as he could not to look at their faces.

“I swear to God, if someone doesn’t open this goddamn door…!”

Seán never got to finish his threat, for there came a muffled call from the other side of the door.

“ _Cé hé?_ ” a familiar, female voice asked.

The GAA head sagged with relief. “Orlagh, it’s Seán. Murph and Chrissy are with me. Come on, let us in.”

The Ultimate Gaeilgeoir barked a haughty laugh. “I bet you’d like me to _think_ that you’re Seán! You _amadáin_ in Ultimate Despair just want me to open the door for ye!”

Nathan wondered in exasperation as to who, exactly, had put Orlagh on guard duty.

“Come _on_ , Orlagh!” Seán hissed, his eyes darted up and down the hallway frantically. “Stop fuckin’ around and let us in!”

“ _Níl seans amháin!_ ” she retorted. “I’m not letting any members of Ultimate Despair into this _seomra_!”

Seán’s head leaned against the door frame, his eyes firmly shut, his lips moving silently. Nathan got the impression he was counting to ten. Christopher caught Nathan’s eye and gave him a wary look.

“Orlagh,” he said eventually, “what will it take for you to open this door for us?”

The Gaeilgeoir pondered this for a few moments. “Hmm…I suppose that you could sing _“Amhrán na bhFiann”_ for me.”

Seán’s face contorted briefly into an expression of undiluted rage. “We’re on the run from Ultimate Despair, you idiot! If I start singin’ out here, they’ll find us!”

But Orlagh was resolute in her illogical demand. “ _Bí ag canadh, a Sheáin._ ”

The GAA head’s hand rose swiftly to his forehead, rubbing it gingerly. Nonetheless, he took a deep breath, and sang the melody in an uncertain, shaky voice.

_“Sinne Fianna Fáil, atá faoi gheall ag-”_

Mercifully, there was a scraping sound from the other side of the door, and it swung open before Seán could finish the first few lines of the song. Standing opposite the three boys was Orlagh herself, looking pleased as she waved them in.

“ _Maith thú_ ,” she whispered to Seán as he passed, muttering curses under his breath.

The inside of the classroom was comparatively clean and corpse-free. Despite it being one of the larger halls on the first floor, the room was cramped with bedsheets, pillows, hammocks and other amenities used by the students who were now living in the hall. There were nearly twenty students inside the classroom, and they all looked up when the trio entered. A girl with light brown hair, tied back in a pony-tail, leaped up off her bed when she saw the door open.

“Lads!” Aisling cried, a pleased smile spreading across her face. “You’re alright!”

“It’s good to see ye,” Michael said, joining the boxer.

“Yeah,” Aidan muttered sleepily, from a nearby hammock. “How’s it goin’?”

There was a flash of blonde hair as someone darted past Nathan and collided with Seán. He turned to see the Ultimate Farmer wrapped in the GAA head’s embrace, kissing him passionately. Nathan shook his head, turning away once more.

The three boys were all but accosted by their fellow students, who fired off questions left and right.

“Out of the way,” a stern voice called, prompting the crowd of teenagers to disperse and allow the short, dark-haired boy to approach.

“I’ll need a report from you all,” Alex said as he stood before them. “A brief one will do.”

Seán broke apart from his girlfriend and raised an eyebrow at the Ultimate Physicist. “And who put _you_ in charge?”

“We _all_ did,” a voice snapped from somewhere off to the right, and Fionn strode into view, glaring slightly at the Ultimate GAA Head. “He was the best candidate, after all. Now that they’ve taken Gráinne, and James has…”

He trailed off, not needing to say anymore; they all knew what James had done.

“You came from the dormitories, I presume?” Alex asked, bringing them back to the topic at hand.

“Yeah,” Christopher replied. “Those wankers chased us out. We managed to get away, but…”

Nathan intervened, not wanting to dwell on the things they had seen during their flight from the east wing. “Suffice to say the dormitories have been taken. Along with the refectory and lounge areas.”

Alex scowled. “Of course. Now they’ve cut off our food supply.”

“What about the rations?” Nathan asked.

“They won’t last. We were barely holding out as it is. Now that we have three more people to accommodate…” He shook his head. “And it won’t be long before Ultimate Despair finds us in here, anyway.”

Seán folded his arms. “So…what are we going to do, then?”

Alex paused for a moment, deep in thought. “…I believe the time has come for us to strike.”

The GAA head grinned. “Fuckin’ _finally_. Now you’re speakin’ my language, Coleman.”

Alex turned his head towards the Ultimate Rugby Star. “Gather everyone up, Fionn. Please,” he added.

Fionn nodded, before turning away and bellowing at the top of his lungs. “Class meeting! Class meeting!”

The cry went up around the hall, and soon the entire group was clustered in the centre of the classroom, sitting or standing around in a circle. Nathan was impressed by how quickly they all had gathered. Alex stood up, and everyone gradually fell silent.

“It’s come to my attention,” the physicist said, “that we’re running out of time. Our game of cat-and-mouse with Ultimate Despair won’t go on for much longer.” He glanced at Nathan and the other two. “They’ve taken the east wing, and the refectory with it.”

Shocked whispers and mutters rose up, and were instantly quelled by Fionn slamming his fist on a desk.

Alex continued. “Thus, as most of you have likely guessed, we will mount an assault on Ultimate Despair’s base of operations, on the top floor.”

Excitement and fear abounded, something Fionn didn’t even bother to hush.

“So…is this it?” Ryan’s voice called out over the din. “We don’t get a second chance?”

“They won’t _give_ us a second chance,” Alex responded. “You saw how they dealt with the staff. And the first-years, too. Ultimate Despair will eliminate us, should we fail.”

“We’re not _goin’_ to fail,” Michael exclaimed. “If this is our only chance, we’ll give it everythin’ we’ve got!”

“Yeah!”

A cheer erupted out of nearly every one of the students in the hall. Nathan wanted to join in, but he was too busy scanning the crowd of gathered teenagers, searching desperately for a certain face. Most of his classmates from Class 11 were present, as well as a handful of first or third-years. But the person he truly sought was nowhere to be found.

He leaned in towards the blonde girl sitting next to him. “Where’s Ciara?”

The Ultimate Model shook her head. “She hasn’t come back from the scouting mission yet.”

Nathan’s stomach lurched. “But…it’s been nearly two days.”

Niamh looked away, obviously not wanting to give him any ideas as to the guitarist’s likely fate. But Nathan knew well what had happened to Ciara if she’d been gone for so long. If Ultimate Despair hadn’t captured her, the way they had Gráinne, then they must have…

_And I never even got to tell her how I felt_ , he thought bitterly, almost missing the first few words of Alex’s plan.

“As most of you know, many of our scouts haven’t returned to us. Because of this, we have little information as to the positioning of Ultimate Despair’s strongholds and chokepoints within the building. Christopher has told me that there are roughly ten of them holding the east wing, all of them armed. Fortunately for us, this means that there are fewer foes scattered around the remainder of the school. If my estimations are accurate, there will be relatively few to oppose us as we make our way up through the floors. However, one can be certain that the top floor will be littered with Ultimate Despair’s highest-ranking members. It is there that we will find their leader.”

“And you think taking out their leader will cripple them?” Louise asked.

“Yes,” Alex replied, with a firm edge to his voice. “Ultimate Despair is nothing more than a cult of personality. They will be lost without their leader.”

Niamh murmured, “The top floor…” She stared up at the physicist. “That means that James will be there.”

The atmosphere in the room grew tense at the very mention of his name.

“…Yes. In all likelihood, James will be waiting for us at the top floor.”

“With his new friends,” Aidan muttered.

Fionn frowned. “We don’t know for certain if he really is on their side.”

“Yeah,” Aisling agreed. “This might just be another one of his…tricks.”

“Then how do we know he won’t play another ‘trick’ on us again?” Seán scowled. “They don’t call him the ‘Ultimate Liar’ for nothin’.”

Deirdre sniffed. “It’s better if we give him no chance at all to try and worm his way back into our good books.”

“You’re saying we should just cut him down like the rest?” Ryan cried, his brow creased with an incredulous frown.

“He betrayed us!” Seán angrily reminded the dancer.

“Then who’s to say he won’t betray _them_?!”

“Then where would that leave him?” Louise pondered. “He’d have nowhere to turn to.”

“As usual,” Seán said, with a sneer. “He only ever looks out for himself.”

“ _You’re_ one to talk,” Aidan grumbled.

A vein twitched in the GAA head’s temple. “The fuck did you just say to me?”

Christopher grabbed hold of Seán’s arm before he could lunge at anyone. “Calm down, Gleeson.” The Ultimate Soccer Player’s eyes passed over his fellow students. “There’s no point getting worked up about Banville. If we see him, we see him. And if we don’t, we don’t.” He shrugged, as though the matter of the Ultimate Liar’s betrayal was the simplest concept in the world.

Regardless of his apathy, Christopher’s statement seemed to bring the students back under control. They all quietened down and allowed Alex to finish his speech.

“This operation will be undertaken on two fronts. The core group will advance upwards through the building, making for the top floor. Meanwhile, a smaller group will hold off any members of Ultimate Despair that emerge from the east wing in an attempt to flank the core group. The last thing we want is to be caught in a pincer attack. The secondary group will therefore need to be stationed on this floor. I’ll need about six volunteers.”

Ryan was sceptical. “Six volunteers for ten heavily-armed Ultimate Despairs?”

“I very much doubt that those ten will attack simultaneously. And the volunteers will be bringing as much weaponry as we can afford to give them.” Alex hesitated. “Which is, admittedly, not very much.”

“So…whoever volunteers for this secondary group will most likely be putting their lives on the line,” Louise said.

“We’re _all_ putting our lives on the line,” Fionn reminded her. “This is the last chance we have, after all. We’re the only ones still left to fight back against Ultimate Despair. If we fail…”

“That’s not going to happen,” Aisling declared. “We’ll get rid of these Ultimate Despair freaks once and for all. And then, for better or for worse, we’ll be able to see the outside world again.”

“Or whatever’s left of it,” Aidan mumbled.

Ryan gave the Ultimate Surfer a dig in the ribs. “Hey, it can’t be any worse than being locked in _here_. I don’t care what happens; I’m not dying in this hellhole.”

“Me neither!” Michael exclaimed. “In fact, I’m going to volunteer!”

“Same!” Ellie cried.

Aidan shrugged. “Fair enough. I might as well volunteer, too.”

“ _Deonaim freisin!_ ” Orlagh declared exuberantly from her spot near the door. “I shall also volunteer!”

“Me, too,” Christopher called.

“That makes five,” Alex noted. “We still need one more-”

“I’ll do it, Al.”

The Ultimate Physicist stiffened. “A-are you sure?”

Fionn said, “I’m sure. I’m a big lad. I can handle it.”

Alex’s eyes fluttered shut, before he gave a single nod. “Very well. Then Michael, Ellie, Aidan, Christopher and Fionn will remain on this floor and guard the rear. The rest of us will form the core group and ascend to the top floor. Be prepared; we leave in ten minutes.”

And with that, the speech was over. Alex stepped down jerkily, reminding Nathan oddly of a puppet with its strings cut. The young physicist was visibly shaken, his brow beaded with sweat. Fionn, too, had noticed, and he went over to comfort the boy. Nathan had few preparations to make, having only just arrived in the first place, and so he stood awkwardly in the centre of the room and listened to the conversations drift by.

“I’m sorry, Al.”

“You shouldn’t be. It’s y-your decision. I’m n-not going to…to interfere.”

“Are you…?”

“I’m n-not crying.”

“You’re not going to lose me to these Ultimate Despair bastards.”

Alex sniffed. “I’m s-sure that’s what John told Aisling. And look what h-happened to _him_.”

“What if I made you a promise? I’ll come back, with all of the others. I’ll see you again soon.”

“…Do you mean that?”

Nathan could hear the smile in the Ultimate Rugby Star’s voice when he replied, “Absolutely.”

Despite the din inside the classroom, Nathan heard the soft sound of clothes rustling together as the two boys embraced.

“…I love you, Fionn.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

The pair of them chuckled at their private joke, and Nathan suddenly felt guilty for having eavesdropped. But the other conversations going on around him were more of the same.

“I didn’t think you’d seriously volunteer.”

“Shows how much you know about me.”

“So…is this it, then? The end?”

“Not at all,” Ellie said dismissively. “We’ll be together again before you know it.” Her voice lowered. “And, if we _do_ meet up again, I’ll have a surprise for you.”

“What kind of surprise?”

She leaned in and whispered into Seán’s ear. A grin appeared on the GAA head’s face, growing wider with every passing second.

“Now you _definitely_ have to survive,” he told her.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I will.”

Amidst all of the other tumultuous emotions he had experienced over the last few weeks, the Ultimate Lucky Student suddenly felt very lonely. It seemed like he was the only one without someone who’d miss him when he was gone. He couldn’t imagine how Aisling had felt when John’s mangled corpse had been unveiled less than a fortnight beforehand. Or how Gráinne…

Nathan shook himself. There were people counting on him. He could afford to feel sorry for himself later.

That was, of course, assuming he lived to see tomorrow.

A few minutes later, Alex clapped his hands and called, “Alright. Let’s move. Would the secondary group please follow Fionn out?”

Those who had volunteered were led by the Ultimate Rugby Star towards the door. The other students stood by and let them pass. Nathan’s eyes caught a glimpse of Ryan, whose troubled expression indicated that he as having some sort of internal crisis as he watched the secondary group leave. His entire body was tense, his teeth were gritted and his brow beaded with sweat. And then suddenly, like a tiger, he pounced. The Ultimate Dancer lunged forward, speeding towards the Ultimate Surfer with a look of sheer desperation. Before Aidan could even register his confusion, they collided, Ryan’s hands clutching the side of the smaller boy’s face. The dancer pushed their faces together, kissing him tenderly. When they broke apart, there was a moment of stunned silence.

Aidan blinked five times in a row before murmuring, “What the fuck?”

Despite the despair that was clearly welling up inside him, Ryan gave his friend a warm smile. “We’ll talk about it when you get back, alright?”

Aidan regarded the dancer warily, before nodding slowly. He left along with the other volunteers. The moment the ginger-haired boy closed the door behind him, Ryan slumped, his smile melting off his face.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” he hissed. “Oh _Christ_ , I shouldn’t have done that.”

Aisling stood beside the Ultimate Dancer, lifting a hand to his shoulder. “Don’t worry,” she said. “He had to find out _eventually_.”

Ryan didn’t even lift his head to acknowledge her.

“If everyone is ready,” Alex said, after a moment’s pause, “we should also ready ourselves. In all likelihood, Ultimate Despair will be anticipating our assault. We don’t know what they might have in store for us.”

And on that sobering note, the remaining students of St. Elpis’ left the classroom that had been their final sanctuary. They made for the stairs and climbed upwards to meet their fate.


	35. Chapter 5: An Imperial Affliction - Part 2

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

Nathan awoke, gasping, feeling the sweat-drenched sheets clinging tightly to his body. It took a few, panicked seconds for his brain to shake off the remnants of the dream, more vivid than any of the ones that had come before. Fortunately for him, a warm pair of arms suddenly wrapped themselves around his bare chest, bringing him back to reality.

“It’s okay,” a voice whispered in his ear. “It’s alright.”

Nathan nodded shakily. “Y-yeah, I know. Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” Ciara murmured sleepily.

Nathan turned his head slightly to face his girlfriend. “Did I wake you?”

“Yeah, you did. It’s fine. I’m nearly used to it by now.”

He winced. “That’s not something you should have to get used to. Sorry.”

The guitarist yawned. “It’s fine, alright? It’s better than just ignoring you when you’re in pain. Another dream?”

He nodded again. “Yeah. But this one wasn’t as bad as some of the others. No one died in it.”

Ciara shot him a curious glance. “Is there anything about these dreams that I should know?”

“Probably,” Nathan grumbled.

“Then, go on. I’m not going back to sleep any time soon.”

The Ultimate Guitarist nuzzled her head against his shoulder, pulling herself closer to him in the bed. With her breath fluttering against his collarbone, Nathan tried to recall what he had gathered from his dreams.

“First of all,” he began, “they’re not dreams. I know that now – they’re memories. I’m remembering bits and pieces of my past life at St. Elpis’.”

“Really? Didn’t the mastermind get rid of all our memories of the school?”

“I thought so, too. But Jack’s been going through the same thing. He’s remembering now, as well.”

“Well, _I_ don’t remember anything,” Ciara said, a touch grumpily. “…So, what can you remember? Did you find out how we all got trapped in this place?”

“Kind of.  I remember…something happened. Something bad. It happened to Ireland, and probably the UK and other parts of the world, as well. They called it ‘the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history’.”

“What was it?”

“Fuck if _I_ know,” Nathan replied. “It was bad enough, anyway, that the staff of St. Elpis’ wanted to lock themselves and any willing students inside the school, and then barricade the doors and windows. We were some of those students.”

“Jesus Christ,” Ciara hissed. “So…we locked _ourselves_ in here?”

“Kind of. Whatever this big ‘Tragedy’ was, it was serious enough that we thought we’d all be better off if we sealed ourselves inside St. Elpis’ and waited the whole thing out. But some of the people who were locked in with us…they weren’t _right_. They were members of some organisation called ‘Ultimate Despair’. Well, I say ‘organisation’, but I think it was more like a cult. They were completely devoted to the idea of despair and everything that had to do with it. Once we had locked ourselves in, they took control. They killed most all the staff who refused to join them, and then they started on the students. People I knew and loved…people I saw nearly every day for those years we spent in St. Elpis’…they were all murdered in cold blood.”

“Oh my God…”

“But we didn’t want to live under Ultimate Despair’s rule anymore. So we, along with the rest of the surviving students that hadn’t already joined Ultimate Despair, rose up against them.”

“…Did we win?”

Nathan shook his head. “I don’t know. But, since we’re still stuck inside this place, I doubt we did.”

“That’s…terrible,” Ciara whispered. “I can’t believe…did all of that stuff really happen?”

“It had to have,” Nathan assured her. “These dreams…they’re too real to be figments of my imagination. With every dream I have, I remember more and more of what happened during those last few months in St. Elpis’.”

She gently kissed his cheek. “You poor lad. I never knew things were this bad. Sorry.”

“It’s not _your_ fault,” he told her, wrapping an arm around her. “The mastermind’s the one to blame.”

“Whoever they are.”

“Whoever they are, yeah.”

For several, long minutes, they just lay there in each other’s arms, unsure of what to say next. They were lost in thoughts of what, exactly, had happened to the country during the years that were missing from their memories.

“…Do you know what time it is?” Nathan eventually asked.

“No,” she replied. “But the morning announcement hasn’t gone off yet. Tired?”

“Not really, no.”

A seductive grin slid onto the guitarist’s face. “Then I know something we could do to pass the time.”

Nathan’s expression mirrored hers. “Oh, really? What d’you have in mind?”

Instead of answering verbally, Ciara rolled over until she was lying on top of him. Leaning down, she kissed him tenderly, full on the lips.

Just then, the loudspeaker in the bedroom clicked.

_“Good morning, you pathetic brats! It’s seven o’clock. That means it’s time to wake up and seize the day!”_

Both Nathan and Ciara groaned as Monobear’s morning announcement drilled into their heads. Sighing unhappily, Ciara rolled back onto her side, her head collapsing onto the pillow.

“Just our luck,” they both said together.

“So much for ‘passing the time’,” Nathan snarked.

“And…there’s no way we could have breakfast later, is there?” Ciara asked hopefully.

“Afraid not. We don’t want the others thinking we’re both dead, only to find out we were actually just…you know.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “Alright.”

Pushing the sheets and blankets aside, Ciara swung her legs out of bed and staggered over to the bathroom. Nathan’s eyes followed her as she crossed the room, until she shut the door behind her.

Although they had been interrupted by Monobear, Nathan was still thrilled that he was able to spend time with someone like Ciara at all. These last few days had been some of the best of his life, in some ways. Of course, they had also been some of the worst. His friends – people he had known for years, although he still lacked most of those memories – were dropping like flies. He was glad that Ciara was still with him. Although…

He was called out of his dark thoughts when Ciara opened the bathroom door and said, “You need to go for a shower, too, don’t you?”

“Y-yeah, I do.”

“You want to go first?”

“…Is there any reason why we can’t have one at the same time?”

Ciara smiled, opening the door to let him through. “I think I might be a bad influence on you.”

 

***

 

Aisling made her way to the refectory shortly after being woken up by the morning announcement. Today was the twentieth day of their imprisonment in Monobear’s game, and she was determined that it would be one of their last.

Her newfound strength led to her barging through the refectory doors and striding into the room. In doing so, however, she startled the poor girl sitting alone at the table.

“Oops,” Aisling said, with a sympathetic wince. “Sorry, Niamh.”

The flustered model waved her hands in apology. “Don’t mind me. I was just about to leave, anyway.”

The boxer frowned. “Oh. You don’t want to stay and chat? Just for a little while,” she added.

“It’s fine,” Niamh said hurriedly. She pushed her chair back and stood up, not even looking over at the other girl.

“…Are you sure?”

“Positive,” she replied, her gaze focused on the tips of her shoes as she walked swiftly towards the doors.

“Hold on a second!”

Niamh suppressed a flinch, before turning on her heel to finally face the Ultimate Boxer. “What is it?”

“Niamh…are you trying to avoid me?”

“N-no! I…not at all.”

Aisling stared. “You _are_. And it’s not just me, either. I’ve seen how you’ve been acting around the others, too. Even Fionn. We’re supposed to be your friends, Niamh.”

“I know that, but…”

“But what?” Aisling demanded, before sighing. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to get annoyed. But you can’t just close yourself off from everyone. Not when there are so…”

“So few of us left?” Niamh supplied. “I know. But how am I supposed to look anyone in the eye when I know that one of them is a traitor?”

“But…” Aisling faltered. “If…if we give up our trust now, how will we survive? We’ll never get through this if we don’t stick together. If we let mistrust and suspicion divide us, we’re just letting the mastermind win. _You’re_ the one who told us that.”

“Just…leave me alone,” Niamh whispered. “I’m sorry for getting upset, but I really just need to be by myself for a while. Please.”

“…Fine.”

Aisling sighed as the model departed, fleeing through the heavy double doors and leaving an uneasy silence in her wake.

 

***

 

That afternoon, Fionn made his way to the gym. It had been a while since his last visit, and he felt like he had been neglecting his usual routine. The gym was empty when he arrived; with both Ryan and Aidan gone, the gym had lost two of its main visitors. Even Aisling hardly ever went anymore. As such, the Ultimate Rugby Star had the whole place to himself.

The time drifted steadily by as Fionn exerted himself on the various machines, hoisted weights and worked up a sweat. In the meantime, he thought back on the last few weeks, how quickly things had changed, and then changed again. He’d made new friends, and lost them. He, himself, had changed somewhat, too. But whether that change had been for better or for worse, he didn’t yet know.

A voice called him out of his thoughts. “Working hard?”

Fionn’s head snapped over to the door, where a boy with a mop of dark hair was standing nonchalantly.

“Jack…” Fionn blinked, setting down the barbell and sitting up on the bench. “When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

“Oh, right. D’you want to use the gym?”

Jack smiled. “Well, I was _going_ to, but you kind of intimidated me out of it.”

Fionn’s face fell, becoming tinged with scarlet. “Did I? Sorry.”

“Not _your_ fault,” Jack said, shaking his head. “I must be more insecure than I thought.”

“Really? A good-looking, talented fella like _you_ being insecure?”

Jack raised an amused eyebrow. “You think I’m good-looking?”

“Don’t push your luck.” Fionn stretched out his arms, feeling a twinge of pain as his muscles cried out. He winced, wondering aloud, “How long was I in here for?”

He eyed the clock above the gym’s entrance.

“Oh, fuck me.”

“We haven’t seen you since breakfast,” Jack said.

“No wonder my arms hurt so much,” Fionn groaned.

“What made you lose track of the time like that?”

“…Just thinking about stuff.”

Jack laughed. “Yeah, I know the feeling.” He sat down on a nearby bench. “So, how’re things? Besides your poor arms, I mean.”

“Not bad. Or, at least, not as bad as they were. It seems like everyone’s a bit on edge, though. I think they’re worried about the spy,” he added.

Jack nodded, a grimace twisting his mouth. “Probably, yeah. God knows _I_ am. With so few of us left…”

“And it could be anyone, I know.” Fionn sighed. “I know they all don’t want to believe it. That one of the people we’ve been with from the start has been working against us all along.” A scowl crossed his expression. “But that’s no reason to start acting so cold to our friends!”

“Whoa, man. I’m sorry if I said something that bothered you.”

“No, no, it’s not you.” Fionn shook his head, his scowl being replaced by a pained look. “It’s Niamh. She’s been acting…different lately. I think the stress of everything that’s happened has finally gotten to her.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah, thanks.” After a pause, he said, “What are we going to do, Jack?”

“About what?”

“About… _everything_.” Fionn threw his hands up in the air. “We might not ever get out of this fucked-up prison. And even if we do, what then? How can we ever live with ourselves after what we’ve done, after what our _friends_ have done? We’ve sent our own classmates to their deaths!” Fionn’s voice took on a panicky tone. “I mean, Idon’t remember them actually _being_ my classmates, but it still feels wrong, you know? They wouldn’t have killed anyone if they didn’t feel that they had to, so what does that makes us? How are we any different?” His voice cracked, and his ranting abruptly cut off.

Jack found himself at a loss. He wanted to comfort his friend, but any such gesture would feel hollow to him. Here Fionn was, being wholly and completely honest with him, and yet Jack couldn’t tell him the truth. The truth he had hidden from everyone.

“I’m…sorry,” Jack said at last, cursing his worthlessness in this situation. “I don’t have all the answers. Maybe I make it seem like I do…but, to be honest, I’m just as scared as everyone else. We all have different ways of dealing with crises, and…I guess some just deal with them better than others.”

“And how _should_ we deal with them?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“‘Yet’?”

“I’m still trying to figure everything out, myself. But I’m sure that Niamh and the others will come around eventually. Until then, we can only hope.”

After what seemed like an age, Fionn nodded. “Alright. I suppose that’s all we can go on right now.” A wry smile played on his lips. “Just keep holding onto hope, right?”

Jack forced a smile. “Yeah. Exactly.”

Fionn clapped the Ultimate All-Rounder on the back. “You’re a sound man, Jack. I’m going to go shower, so I’ll see you later.”

“Y-yeah. See you.”

With Fionn gone, the gym was filled with a nasty silence. Jack was left to his guilty thoughts. Truth be told, with how things were, Jack could scarcely hold onto the ‘hope’ he so idealised himself. It was just like him to spew beliefs he didn’t even hold to be true. And, worst of all, he had apparently convinced Fionn to think in that twisted way, as well. He’d begun to corrupt the people he held dear. He hadn’t changed at all.


	36. Chapter 0: Mnemosyne - Part 3

As soon as the students had reached the second floor landing, they were assaulted by a hail of gunfire. The group was forced to retreat back down the staircase, while the few of them that were armed attempted to sneak back up. Each time someone popped their head up above the top step, there would be a responding roar of gunshots, and they would have to duck back down.

“Just our fuckin’ luck,” Seán grumbled. His eyes fell upon Nathan, and he added, “No offense, Murph.”

“None taken,” the Ultimate Lucky Student muttered. “Assuming we ever get out of this mess, that is.”

Another string of bullets ricocheted off of the top step, less than two feet away from Seán’s head.

“Son of a bitch,” he swore, hunkering down as far as he could go.

Nathan heard Niamh whispering from somewhere behind him. “Surely he’ll run out of ammo eventually?”

“We don’t have time to wait for that inevitability,” Alex said. “It’s only a matter of time before the rest of Ultimate Despair discovers we’re on the move.”

“Then we need to finish this right away,” Deirdre asserted.

Alex hesitated before nodding. “Yes. We’ll need a group of fast sprinters to make it over to the gunner’s location.”

“Then I’ll go,” a male voice said. “I _am_ the Ultimate Sprinter, after all.”

“It’s dangerous, Rick,” Ryan hissed, his voice pleading.

“Everything we’ve done over the last few weeks has been dangerous,” a girl pointed out. “We’re ready. Aren’t we, Rick?”

The Ultimate Sprinter grinned. “We sure are, Mag. Let us go, Alex.”

Again, the hesitation in the physicist’s voice before he said, “Very well. Is there anyone else who wants to-”

His question was cut off by another burst of gunfire. Nathan’s eyes were facing forward, so he didn’t see who else had volunteered.

“Okay. Take up your positions. Be ready to run as soon as the shooting stops.”

Upon hearing Alex’s words, Nathan and Seán were joined at the top of the stairs by three people, who pressed themselves down flat against the steps. A glance over his left shoulder showed him Rick O’Sullivan and Margaret Taylor, the Ultimate Cyclist. When he looked to his right, to his shock, he saw Aisling Taggart facing the landing above their heads with a look of pure determination.

Before he could say anything to his friend and classmate, the deafening noise of the gunfire abruptly stopped, and there was sudden movement all around him as the three athletes lunged upwards, leaping onto the landing and running away from view.

The silence didn’t last long. Nathan’s heart froze as there was another blast of gunfire, accompanied by a howl of pain. But, once again, the noise was cut short. Nathan heard a clattering sound of someone falling to the floor, before Aisling called out in a shaky voice, “All clear.”

The sight that greeted Nathan’s eyes upon cresting the top of the stairs was a gruesome one. Rick lay still on the floor, blood still pumping from various bulletholes on his chest, shoulders and neck. Margaret had also collapsed to the floor, but her chest was rising and falling rhythmically. Every few seconds, the Ultimate Cyclist would let out another moan of pain, before falling silent again. She was clutching onto her leg, while blood seeped out from between her fingers. Meanwhile, Aisling was standing stock-still over the fallen figure of a woman with plain clothes, mousy brown hair and glasses. The Ultimate Boxer was unharmed, although she was evidently disturbed at seeing her fellow athlete gunned down before her eyes.

While many of the students behind Nathan, including Ryan, gasped or cried out upon seeing Rick’s bleeding corpse, the Ultimate Lucky Student crossed over to join Aisling.

“Are you hurt?” he asked her.

She swallowed and shook her head. “N-no. But…”

“Tell me what happened,” he said, in what he hoped was a calming voice.

“Th-they…when we ran over to the gunner, sh-she had finished reloading. She tried to hit us a-all in a…in a spread. I knocked h-her down before she c-could hit me, but she st-started on the left, and so…and so…”

Nathan lifted his arms around the trembling girl’s shoulders. “They got Rick. I’m sorry, Aisling.”

“It sh-should have…been me,” the boxer choked. “Rick had…so m-much left to live f-for. I’ve got nothing!”

Nathan pulled away from her in order to stare into her eyes. “Don’t you _dare_ say that. You still have us, Aisling. And I know your family’s still out there, somewhere, waiting for you. They wouldn’t give up on you, would they? So don’t give up on _them_.”

Aisling didn’t reply, but broke eye contact with him by looking around the hallway. “But this is…wh-where they found him. John…”

John Culleton, the Ultimate Comedian, had been one of the first student casualties in Ultimate Despair’s coup. He had led a failed uprising against Ultimate Despair, not long after they had finished their slaughter of the school’s staff. He, too, was murdered by them. For leading the rebellion, he was made an example of. His dismembered body was displayed on the walls of the second-floor corridors by the stairwell, for any passers-by to see. That had only been a few weeks ago. Aisling, naturally enough, had been distraught at the loss of her boyfriend. She had yet to regain her usual energetic demeanour. And now, having lost another friend, right before her eyes…

“Don’t lose hope now,” Nathan told her. “Not when we’re so close.”

Behind them, Alex was questioning Margaret. “Can you stand?”

With a wince, the cyclist shook her head. “No. I’ve tried, believe me.”

“Then…in that case…” Alex gritted his teeth, but the words refused to leave his mouth.

Seán stepped forwards to deliver the bad news. “We can’t take you with us. You’d only slow us down.”

Quick as a flash, Louise appeared in front of the GAA head, hand raised. She slapped him hard across the face, the sound echoing along the corridor. Seán snarled at her, but didn’t retaliate.

“You’re disgusting!” the journalist told him. “How can you say that about one of our _friends_?!”

“Coleman was thinkin’ the same thing!” Seán retorted. “We’re in a warzone! There’s no way we can bring her with us!”

Niamh looked from Margaret to Alex, and back again, with a look of desperation. “But…”

“Seán is right,” the Ultimate Physicist said, as he stood. “I’m sorry, Margaret. But we can’t take you with us.”

The cyclist waved a hand at him, as though she were merely declining a cup of tea. “That’s fine. You know me – I’m a hardy girl. I don’t mind staying here for a while. As soon as I can walk again, I’ll follow you all upstairs.”

They were empty words, but the look on Margaret’s face made them want to believe her. Nathan knew she was trying to give them hope.

Alex nodded. “Thank you for all your help.”

“Not at all,” Margaret said, trying a smile.

Niamh had crept over to the unconscious gunner and was now examining the woman with an expression of pity. “Professor Sheehy,” she murmured. “How did she get caught up in this mess?”

Nathan knew the name. Professor Anne Sheehy, a teacher and researcher at St. Elpis’ College. Her field of expertise was mathematics, and indeed she had once attended the school as the Ultimate Mathematician. Small wonder her skills had been of interest to Ultimate Despair.

One of the other students – a boy – glanced over upon hearing Niamh mention the woman’s name. He joined the Ultimate Model at her side.

“I should’ve known she was one of them,” Finbar Chang, the Ultimate Chess Master, said gravely. “After all, we never _did_ find her body. Unconscious?”

Nathan finally turned from the boxer, who had stopped shaking, and said, “Yeah. Aisling apparently knocked her out.”

Finbar nodded. “Good. But, regardless of her past as our teacher she’s still a member of Ultimate Despair. She’s too dangerous to be kept alive.”

Niamh frowned. “Surely not! We…we can find help. She’s probably been brainwashed, too. Once we get out of here, we can bring her with us!”

The chess master gave her a cold look. “You obviously don’t remember what it was like outside, before they closed us in. There’s nobody out there who’ll be _able_ to help her.”

“Think of all the things she’s done as one of them,” Ryan said, walking over to join them. “She _killed_ Rick, and God knows how many more.”

“She doesn’t _deserve_ to live,” Seán muttered, shooting the unconscious woman a nasty glare.

“Not again,” Louise huffed. “You know, Gleeson, I’ve had it up to here with your bullshit!”

“Fuck you!” he snapped at her. “Just because I’m bein’ _pragmatic_ about this-”

“‘Pragmatic’?!” the journalist cried incredulously. “Is _that_ what you call cold-blooded murder now?”

“She just murdered Rick!” Ryan yelled. “Right in front of us! You tell me she wouldn’t try to do the same to us if she was awake?”

“Enough!” Deirdre projected her strong voice above everyone else’s. In the chaos of the argument that had erupted between the students, no one had noticed the soprano sneak up to Professor Sheehy and steal her weapon. Because of that, nobody had a chance to stop her as she unloaded a round into the unconscious woman’s skull. After the roar of the gun had faded, the corridor was left silent. Everyone was too shocked to speak.

“If none of you are willing to kill in order to save your own lives,” Deirdre called out, “then I am. This is _our_ future we’re fighting for! We can’t afford to hesitate.”

After a moment, Finbar’s eyebrows sank down to their usual height. “Well said,” he muttered, although he was unable to hide the quiver in his voice.

But Alex was furious. “In future, I think you should at least consult with _us_ before you go and take someone’s life like that!”

“We don’t have time for that!” Deirdre responded angrily. “At any moment, we could be killed. It’s either us or them!”

“That’s not what he’s trying to say!” Niamh shouted, taking everyone by surprise. “We’re a team, Deirdre! _All_ of us! You can’t just go off by yourself and do whatever you please. As long as we stay united, we still have a chance against Ultimate Despair.”

The Ultimate Soprano glared at Alex. “United under _him_ , you mean.”

“We chose him as our leader,” Nathan said, stepping toward Deirdre with a firm stare. “We all trust him.”

She sneered. “How wonderful. Like how _you_ trusted James?”

Nathan flinched.

Deirdre tutted, turning to face the Ultimate GAA Head. “Seán, are you listening to this tripe? Come with me, and we’ll take on Ultimate Despair our _own_ way.”

But Seán shook his head, keeping his eyes fixed on the soprano. “Sorry, hun. But I trust Coleman more than I trust _you_.”

If Deirdre was surprised or upset by the boy’s words, she didn’t show it. “Fine,” she said. “Then this is farewell.”

Keeping her newly-found gun pointed away from everyone, Deirdre turned on her heel and marched towards the steps. With great poise, she climbed the stairs and disappeared from view. The students all watched her leave, with no one saying anything to make her stop.


	37. Chapter 5: An Imperial Affliction - Part 3

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

Nathan blinked his eyes open, taking in the familiar sight of the ceiling above him. He was still in his bedroom. He was still alive.

Of course, the same couldn’t be said for some of the people in his dream. He had few memories of Rick and Margaret; the memories of his school life hadn’t yet returned. Had they been his friends? How many more of those nameless corpses strewn about the corridors had he known? And how many more of these twisted dreams was he going to have before his memories returned in full? The horrors of those last few weeks in St. Elpis’ were nearly enough to make him never want to recover his lost memories in full.

He shook his head. It was no good worrying about that now. Those thoughts would only drag him further into despair. Above all, he needed to keep hope alive. If he did that, there was no way the mastermind could win.

Or so he hoped.

 

***

 

Fionn found himself in the lounge the next afternoon, on the twenty-first day since the ‘mutual killing game’ began. Having just eaten a hearty lunch, he was about to return to his room and snooze. Conversation among the students during breakfast had been minimal, to his disappointment. With every day that they spent in the mastermind’s prison, the atmosphere of despair seemed to grow thicker and thicker. Honestly, he was starting to wonder just how much longer any of them would last…

He shook his head. It was no use thinking like that. He’d already sworn not to embarrass himself like he had yesterday, when he almost broke down in front of Jack. And what kind of a person would he be if he let himself get consumed by despair after Alex sacrificed himself to save them all? That was no way to respect the memory of his late boyfriend.

Fionn suspected the thing that really had everyone concerned was the existence of the mastermind’s spy. Niamh had admitted as much to him herself only a few days ago. At least, he thought, now that their group was down to only a handful of people, it didn’t seem likely that somebody would chance a murder. There were so few people left that anyone acting suspicious would stand out immediately.

Fionn was still musing when Nathan entered the lounge, a frown creasing his expression.

“Everything alright?” Fionn called to him.

Nathan’s eyes shifted towards him, although the frown never eased up. “I’m looking for Ciara. I haven’t seen her in a while.”

Fionn tried to recall where he had last seen the Ultimate Guitarist. “She was at breakfast, wasn’t she?”

“Yeah, but I haven’t seen her since then. I‘m…a bit worried.”

Although there was a trace of embarrassment in Nathan’s tone, Fionn could see that he was clearly anxious. Fionn wanted to say that he was worrying about nothing, that Ciara would turn up later and chide her boyfriend for being so easily lost without her. But this was the mastermind’s game they were talking about: nobody was ever completely safe at any time.

And so, he said, “D’you want to go look for her? I’ll come along with you, if you’d like.”

Nathan nodded, his concerned expression finally wavering ever so slightly. “That’d be great, thanks.”

Fionn got up off the couch and strolled over to join the Ultimate Lucky Student. “Where’ve you checked so far?”

“The ground floor. Haven’t gone upstairs yet. Didn’t think she’d have a reason to go there by herself.”

“Maybe she’s not alone?” Fionn suggested. “You really think she’d go wondering off by herself with things the way they are?”

“But it’s the middle of the day. None of the…incidents ever happened outside of Night Time.”

“First time for everything,” Fionn muttered, before immediately wishing he hadn’t. “I mean…never mind.” He jerked his head in the direction of the foyer. “Let’s head upstairs, so. We’ll find her.”

Nathan nodded slowly, before following Fionn out of the lounge and down the corridor that lead to the foyer.

As they walked, Fionn felt compelled to break the uncomfortable silence that had fallen between them.

“So, where d’you think he might’ve gone? Is there anywhere upstairs that she might be interested in?”

Nathan screwed up his face slightly as he thought. “…I suppose there’s the music room. Up on the very top floor. She mentioned wanting to go there to me once or twice.”

They walked out into the foyer, making for the staircase.

“Alright, then we can check there first and work our way do-”

Fionn never finished the thought; he was cut off by the heavy thud of a something falling from above and hitting the floor at high velocity, following by the splattering of blood and gore against the tiled floor. Fionn cried out in terror, realising that it was a person who had fallen. But his voice was drowned out by Nathan’s howl of agony as he recognised the figure that now lay at the foot of the stairs. Paralysed with fear and feeling sick to his stomach, Fionn could only watch as Nathan sprinted over and knelt down next to the mangled body, trembling and whispering under his breath.

“Please,” he hissed, his voice cracking with grief. “Please, no…”

But no matter how much he pleaded, the body of Ciara Maguire, the Ultimate Guitarist, remained motionless.


	38. Chapter 5: An Imperial Affliction - Part 4

_Laethanta Mínormálta_  -  Abnormal Days

Drawn by the sound of Ciara’s body hitting the foyer floor, the other students swiftly arrived on the scene, joining Fionn and Nathan. The Ultimate Lucky Student was still locked in place at the guitarist’s side, unwilling to reach out and touch her corpse, and yet not wanting to move away and leave her.

The arriving students barely had time to take in the horrific scene before their eyes before the loudspeakers clicked in their usual fashion, and Monobear’s body discovery announcement came spewing out.

_“Attention, all students! A dead body has just been discovered! Everyone may proceed with the investigation until the school trial begins, in several hours’ time. Happy hunting!”_

Jack was left stunned by the body discovery. Having gone through a similar experience himself only a few weeks ago, he felt he could imagine what his friend was going through. And yet, Jack lingered hesitantly at the edge of the scene, unable to take those few steps forward to join him. Perhaps it was the wall of lies Jack himself had built up that now separated them? In any case, he simply watched as Michael crossed the foyer and rested a hand on Nathan’s shoulder.

“Nathan,” he murmured. “I’m sorry, but…she’s gone. We need to get moving.”

Slowly, painfully, the Ultimate Lucky Student’s head turned, swivelling around and tilting upwards to face the vet.

“I...” Nathan’s mouth formed the words, but his throat seemed to be unable to cooperate.

Nodding silently, Michael pulled him to his feet and wrapped his arms around him in a brief gesture of condolence. When he pulled back, there was something different in Nathan’s gaze.

“I’ll find them,” Nathan promised. “The one who did this. I’ll get them. For her.”

“We’re right beside you.” Aisling took a small step forward. “I never wanted this to happen, but…”

Jack spoke up at last. “There’s nothing else we can do. As much as I hate admitting it, we’re stuck doing what the mastermind wants us to do until the trial ends. We’ll just have to do what we’ve done every time before now.”

Niamh nodded. “That’s right. We have to investigate.” She swallowed deeply, taking a few deep breaths. “We’ll start with the body. Since there are so few of us left, I’ll need one person to stay here with me, two to investigate the dormitories and the bottoms floors, while the last two investigate the top floors.”

Michael clapped Nathan on the back. “You want to take the rooms again?”

“…Y-yeah. I’ll take the bottom floors. Mick can come with me.”

“And I’ll stay with Niamh,” Fionn said, his tone brooking no argument.

“Then that leaves me and Aisling to take the upper floors,” Jack said. “I doubt Monobear will leave us much time to get everything done. We should hurry.”

In a matter of seconds, the foyer was emptied but for Niamh, Fionn and the body. There was a moment of tense silence between the two, before Niamh knelt down and began examining the corpse.

It would be obvious to anyone what the fatal injury had been: Ciara’s skull had smashed against the floor when she fell from above. The blood had splattered across the tiles, and was all but impossible to avoid walking in. Niamh tried not to focus on the fragments of bone and brain tissue that coated the floor beneath Ciara’s head. Judging by the odd angles the body’s arms were positioned at, it seemed that the fall had broken her arms, and likely most of the bones in her upper body.

On closer inspection, although Niamh was still understandably squeamish about drawing near to the corpse’s head, she saw that there was something tied around Ciara’s neck: a rope, tied into a noose. The rope trailed along the floor for about a foot before it stopped, having been severed at that point. The noose had been tied tightly around the neck, and Niamh could see the outlines of bruises that had formed on the body’s skin, beneath the rope.

“Ah…”

Niamh looked up at Fionn, who looked uncomfortable at having spoken.

“W-well, it’s just…” He held up his ID card. “The fifth Monobear File just popped up. You, eh, want me to read it?”

Niamh nodded. “Please.”

“…Alright. _‘The victim is Ciara Maguire. She was killed at 13:05 when she fell from a great height. The impact of the fall shattered most of the bones in her skull, as well as many others throughout the rest of her body.  Furthermore, the body has sustained multiple bruises that are consistent with such a fall. The body was found in the foyer.’_ ” Fionn switched off his card, slipping it back into his pocket.

“…Thank you, Fionn,” Niamh murmured, before turning her attention back to the corpse.

Dressed as she was in her usual attire, Ciara’s arms were left bare, and so Niamh was able to spot some unusual stains on her left forearm; red and yellow streaks, smeared across her bare skin. The red was likely blood, which was to be expected. But what was the yellow substance. Gingerly, Niamh reached out with one finger and touched the stain. The liquid had not yet dried, and a smudge was left on her fingertip. The substance, whatever it was, had an unpleasant smell. Niamh wiped her finger clean before moving away for the time being.

Ciara’s legs had been less severely damaged by the fall. What drew Niamh’s eye in this area was a small bump in the fabric of the girl’s pants, just above her right ankle. Carefully, Niamh rolled up the trouser leg and examined what lay underneath: another piece of rope, tied around the leg. Again, the rope trailed for a few inches more before coming to an end. At the frayed end, Niamh noticed that the rope turned black and sooty.

“Two ropes,” she said under her breath. For what reason? What purpose did it serve?

Fionn’s eyes were on the noose tied around the body’s neck. “You don’t think…she tried to hang herself, do you?”

Niamh frowned. “I’m not certain, but I think there’s more to this than just a suicide.”

She resolved to continue examining the body.

 

***

 

Nathan wandered in a daze from bedroom to bedroom, with Michael leading the way. Each room they passed through seemed less and less suspicious. Still numb with shock, Nathan barely took in anything he saw or did. It wasn’t until he arrived in Jack’s room that something struck him. The last time he was here, he’d seen Jack stuffing something into his desk drawer. At the time, he’d been too distracted by what he’d discovered upstairs to bring it up. Now, he’d have rather thought about _anything_ other than the corpse in the foyer. And so, upon entering the bedroom, he walked over to the desk, and pulled open the drawer. Michael frowned as he saw the Ultimate Lucky Student retrieve what looked like a crumpled-up piece of paper from the depths of the drawer.

“What’s that?” Michael asked, crossing over to join him.

Nathan unfurled the paper.

“A…photograph.”

“Yeah, but…hey! That’s us!”

Michael was right: it seemed to be a class picture of themselves and the other students that had been trapped in St. Elpis’. And just like the four photographs that they had found before, Nathan had no memory of it being taken. Neither, of course, did Michael.

“It’s us from when we were in school here,” Nathan murmured. “But…why would Jack try to hide this?”

Michael’s eyes moved from the photo to Nathan. “What?”

“I saw Jack putting this in here,” Nathan gestured to the drawer, “a few days ago. It looked like he was hiding something important. But this is just…”

“Unless the mastermind gave it to him,” Michael muttered.

Nathan gritted his teeth, but didn’t reply.

“You’ve noticed it, too, haven’t you?” Michael went on. “Jack’s been actin’ weird recently. And didn’t Monobear say that Jack was playin’ some sort of ‘game’ after ye tried to break into the office?”

Nathan sighed, folding the picture in half. “Look, I know what you’re trying to say, but Jack…”

He paused, catching sight of some writing on the back of the photograph. Quickly, he unfolded it and turned it over in his hands. All over the white back of the photograph were small, scrunched words, written in ink. Nathan’s eyes fell upon his own name, written in something eerily close to his own handwriting. Next to his name was another – ‘Alex Coleman’, in heavy, bold lettering. He caught sight of Niamh’s curly signature, of Aidan’s untidy scrawl, of Orlagh’s name – written in Irish, of course.

“That’s _my_ signature.” Michael frowned, pointing to a particularly-messy scribble.

“There’re sixteen names here,” Nathan said. “But…”

His eyes fell upon one particular name, and everything fell into place.

“Oh, no…”

 

***

 

The obvious locations for Jack and Aisling to examine were the upper floor landings. After all, Ciara had likely fallen from one of the top floors, above the stairwell. But it wasn’t until they reached the top floor that anything of interest appeared. The banister of the staircase tapered into a railing that bordered the landing, forming a barrier that would ideally have stopped anybody from falling over the edge. But now, attached was a single length of rope, with one end tied in a loop around the railing. The other end dangled down some distance over the edge.

“Look!” Aisling had spotted it, too.

“Yeah, I see it.”

Together, they pulled the loose end of the rope back onto the landing. That was when they noticed that the end of the rope had been badly burnt and seared black, and was still smoking slightly. The odour of smoke and oil caused them both to recoil.

“What does this mean, exactly?” The Ultimate Boxer wondered aloud.

Jack frowned. “I’m not too sure. Not yet, anyway.” Letting go of the rope, he turned to face the remained of the landing. “There might be more clues around. Let’s keep looking.”

Unfortunately, it seemed at first that the culprit had done a good job in clearing the crime scene of any evidence that might incriminate them. However, after several minutes of searching, Aisling reached into a nearby rubbish bin and pulled out a sodden rag.

She made a face. “I’m not sure I should be touching this.”

She leaned forwards, her head moving closer to the rag, and gave it a quick sniff. Instantly, she recoiled.

“Jesus! This thing stinks!” The stench was so strong that it made her eyes water and her head swim.

“Hold onto it,” Jack ordered her. “I doubt it was left there for no reason.”

Aisling eyed the rag warily, prompting Jack to say. “Or _I_ could hold onto it, if you’d like?”

She shook her head. “It’s not that bad. I grew up with eight brothers; I’ve smelled worse.” The boxer reluctantly shoved the rag into her pocket.

“So, now wh-”

The two teenagers both froze as the loudspeakers clicked, and Monobear’s voice rang out.

_“Alllllright, boys and girls! That’s enough investigating! Get your arses down to the entrance hall ASAP!”_

Aisling grumbled. “Perfect.”

“There’s nothing else we can do. We’ll have to make do with what we’ve got.”

“You’re right. Let’s go find the others.”

Jack nodded, hiding a grimace as he followed the Ultimate Boxer back down the stairs. They’d hardly gathered any evidence at all. He’d just have to hope that the rest of them had managed to get by.

 

***

 

Once more, the students reconvened in the foyer, awaiting the opening of the doors that would take them down to the courtroom. They were all trying to avoid giving one last look at the body at the foot of the staircase. All except Nathan, that was; he knew that this would likely be the last he ever saw of his girlfriend – his late girlfriend. He thought he’d cry. Instead, all he could do was stand there and stare at the bloody corpse, a great big hollow feeling burning in his gut.

He wanted to trust Jack. He wanted to trust _everyone_. But the fact of the matter was that one of the people with him in the foyer had killed Ciara. He couldn’t forgive that person, no matter what their motives were.

And so, as the wall slid open and bade them enter, Nathan resolved to find the Ultimate Guitarist’s killer, and reveal the truth behind everything. No matter the cost.


	39. Chapter 5: An Imperial Affliction - Part 5

_Triail na Scoile_ -  School Trial

As usual, the students found that the courtroom had undergone an interior decorating overhaul since their last visit. Gone was the high-class chandelier, and instead both the walls and ceiling were covered with vicious-looking spikes, most of them tipped with crimson. It gave the impression of being trapped in a massive iron maiden. There were also two new signs standing around the circle: one for Louise and one for Ciara, with the ‘x’ on Louise’s sign being made up of two pens in a cross-shape.

As each of the students took their place at their podiums once again, Monobear spoke up from his throne.

“Gooooood afternoon, boys and girls! Welcome to your fifth School Trial!” The bear sighed wistfully. “It doesn’t seem so long ago that there were sixteen of you standing here, having your very first trial. And _now_ look! There are only a handful of you losers left! Upupupupu…they grow up and start murdering each other so fast!”

“Just get on with it,” Jack snapped.

“Fine, fine!” Monobear huffed. “So touchy these days… Alright, you bastards! Get started!”

“Where do we start?” Aisling asked.

“With the facts,” Niamh said simply. “The victim in this case is Ciara Maguire, who fell to her death from one of the upper floors of the school.”

“Myself and Aisling found some rope tied around the railing on the top floor landing,” Jack told them. “It looked exactly like the rope tied around Ciara’s neck. There wasn’t anything like that on any of the other floors.”

“So we can safely assume she fell from the top floor,” Niamh concluded.

Fionn winced, casting a quick glance at the Ultimate Lucky Student. “It might be too soon to say, but…you don’t think Ciara might’ve hanged herself, do you?”

“Never.”

Nathan’s reply, despite being a single word, spoken almost monotonously, summed up his feelings on the matter quite clearly.

“You sure, Nathan?” Michael asked, looking uncertain. “There wasn’t any sign of a struggle, from what I could tell. Maybe she-”

“It wasn’t a suicide, alright?” Nathan’s voice never rose above much more than a whisper.

“I believe Nathan is correct,” Niamh said. “During our investigation, Fionn and I found that a length of rope had also been tied around Ciara’s ankle.”

Michael frowned. “That’s weird. She was tied by both her neck _and_ her leg?”

“But there was only one piece of rope on that railing,” Jack muttered. “One of the pieces on Ciara’s body must be fake.”

“Why would the culprit tie two ropes around her?” Aisling sighed. “What does having a ‘fake’ rope mean for them?”

“If the rope around her neck is the fake,” Niamh explained, “then the killer may have been trying to fool us into thinking Niamh committed suicide.”

“The rope around her neck is the fake,” Nathan asserted. “Me and Fionn…we saw Ciara fall. She landed on her head. If the rope had been tied around her neck, she would’ve fallen feet-first.”

“So the culprit _was_ trying to trick us,” Aisling grumbled.

Fionn groaned. “And I fell for it.”

“Although, just because she was hanging from her leg doesn’t completely rule out suicide,” Niamh admitted. “Although I’m not aware of her motives, Ciara may have killed herself and arranged the scene to make it look like a murder.”

“You mean she _meant_ for the rope to snap?” Michael asked.

Before Nathan could shoot down that particular suggestion, Jack called out, “You’ve got that wrong. The rope didn’t snap – it was set on fire. We found traces of oil and fire on the end of the rope on the top floor. I’m going to guess that one of the ropes tied around the body was burned, too?”

Niamh nodded. “Yes. There were burn marks on one end of the rope that was tied around her ankle.”

“Then that settles it,” Jack said in a firm voice. “Ciara was suspended by her ankle from the railing on the top floor landing. The rope was then set on fire. Obviously she couldn’t have set the rope alight if she was dangling forty feet above the ground, so it couldn’t have been a suicide.”

Fionn raised a hand to his chin in thought. “Somehow, I doubt Ciara would willingly let herself be caught and thrown off the edge of the landing like that.”

“Exactly, Fionn. Which is why the killer drugged her before tying her to the railing.”

“You sound like you already have proof,” Niamh noted.

“I do.” Jack nodded at Aisling, who got the hint, and withdrew the stinking rag from her pocket.

“We found this rag in the rubbish bin on the top floor,” the boxer told her fellow students.

“I think that it was used to knock Ciara unconscious. The substance that’s on that rag is probably chloroform.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “Chloroform? What gives you that idea?”

“I spotted a bottle of it in the chemistry lab the last time I was there,” Jack said. “It’s certainly a possibility that that same bottle was used in this incident.”

“Even if there _is_ chloroform in the lab, you know that doesn’t _actually_ work the way it does in films, right?” Michael folded his arms, pleased to be dispensing some useful knowledge for once. “It’s actually not all that strong. From what I know, you’d have to be inhalin’ it for a few minutes before you’d fall unconscious. That’s part of the reason why it’s not used as an anaesthetic anymore.”

“Actually,” Monobear piped up, “that bottle in the chemistry lab doesn’t contain chloroform at all. It’s a special substance that knocks people out cold after only a few seconds of inhalation. I just stuck the ‘chloroform’ label on it so that you idiots would know what to do with it!”

Jack blinked. “…Alright, well that speeds thing along a bit, I suppose. Now we know that the ‘chloroform’ could have been used in this incident, we can check the rag and the bottle in the lab. If they turn out to be the same substance, then we’ll know for certain.”

Monobear sighed. “I dunno, that sounds _super_ tedious. I might as well just tell you that it is the same substance. Congrats. Well done. You figured it out.” There was little to no enthusiasm in the bear’s voice.

Jack smiled in satisfaction. “Perfect. That’s one step closer to finding the culprit.”

“Hold on, Jack. There’s something that’s been bothering me.”

“Yes, Aisling?”

“We’ve gone around this entire school a tonne of times, right? And we searched it from top to bottom nearly every time, right?”

“Yes…”

“But, we never found anything like those ropes anywhere.”

Jack paused, the implications of Aisling’s observation crashing over him like a wave.

“I don’t believe we’ve ever found oil, either,” Niamh added. “And it seems as though oil was used in burning the rope.”

“So, where did the killer get their hands on those kinds of supplies?” Aisling asked.

After a full ten seconds of silence, Nathan finally spoke up in a hoarse voice. “I think I know where the oil and rope might’ve come from.”

Michael tilted his head. “Yeah?”

“It’s somewhere that contains plenty of supplies, and yet none of us have ever been in there ourselves. There’s definitely one place that matches those criteria.”

“The warehouse.”

As Jack spoke, he felt Nathan’s eyes hone in on him, and suddenly felt the mistrust in his gaze.

“…Right?”

“Yeah, Jack, that’s what I was thinking.”

“But I thought only the mastermind was allowed enter the warehouse?” Fionn’s eyes widened. “You don’t think…the culprit is the mastermind?”

But Niamh shook her head. “No, I think it’s more likely that the culprit in this case is someone who actively worked with the mastermind, despite not being the mastermind themselves.”

The Ultimate Vet’s eyes narrowed. “In other words, the spy.”

“…That seems to be the most probable outcome.”

Michael turned to face Nathan, his eyes blazing. “Nathan, I think you should tell them what we found during our investigation.”

The Ultimate Lucky Student’s stomach lurched, but he nonetheless gave a quick nod. “…Yeah, you’re right.”

Michael noticed his hesitation. “Hey, if you don’t want to go through with this, I will. I’m not letting the spy go unmasked any longer.”

“It’s fine!” Nathan snapped, before giving the vet an apologetic look. “Sorry. But I can do this, okay?”

Fionn’s eyes moved from Michael to Nathan, his expression one of confusion. “Lads, what are you talkin’ about?”

Slowly, Nathan removed the crumpled-up photograph from his pocket.

“We found this in one of the bedrooms. The owner of that bedroom had hidden it away in their desk drawer.”

“What is it?”

Nathan held up the picture for everyone to see. “It’s a class photograph – of us in our second year in St. Elpis’. But that’s not the important part.” He flipped the photo around, allowing the others to see the collection of signatures on the other side.

“Everyone’s names are on this photo. Everyone who was here at the start of this ‘killing school life’. All except…for one. And coincidentally, that person is the same one who hid this photo in the first place.”

Nathan’s eyes met those of the Ultimate All-Rounder, who had gone horribly pale. Sweat beaded his forehead, and his hands were clutching the front of his podium, shaking noticeably.

“Nate…please don’t,” Jack begged.

Nathan grimaced.

“But,” Michael exclaimed, “there _are_ exactly sixteen signatures on that photograph. Which can mean only one thing...”

Nathan let out a shuddering breath. “It means that the one of the people in this room is lying to us about their true identity. If any of us had seen this picture, we would’ve put two and two together and realised this sooner. That’s why they hid the photograph in the first place.”

“Nate, no!” the stranger with the mop of dark hair pleaded.

“‘Jack Jones’,” Nathan called to the stranger, “tell us your real name.”

The stranger’s face crumpled, and he slumped like all of the energy had been drained from his body.

“Just say it,” he whispered eventually. “You’ve seen the signature. You know who I am.”

Nathan surveyed the stranger in cold silence. The name he had seen on the photograph would have been completely meaningless to him only a few days ago. But now he knew – his lost memories had told him enough to know who and what he was looking at.

He forced the words out through the lump in his throat.

“James Banville. The Ultimate Liar.”

The liar trembled, but did not look up from his podium.

Aisling gaped. “That’s…that can’t be true! Jack is…he couldn’t have been…”

“Check his ID card,” Michael said, his eyes never leaving James’s shaking frame. “I bet you never showed that to anybody here, did you? If you had, your little ‘game’ would’ve been up.”

Fionn stared at the boy with dark hair, his lips parted slightly in shock.

“Jack…tell me it’s not true. Please.”

“…It is.”

The Ultimate Liar’s words, although quiet, rang out in the deadly silence that had fallen in the courtroom.

Finally, he lifted his head.

“It’s true,” he said. “Everything Nathan and Michael have said. My real name is James Banville, and I’m the Ultimate Liar. That’s what I was inducted into St. Elpis’ for. The ‘Ultimate All-Rounder’ doesn’t exist. He _never_ existed. Jack Jones is a fake persona I made for myself…because I didn’t want to live a life as the Ultimate Liar.”

Michael chuckled darkly. “That’s ironic! You chose to live a lie because you didn’t want to be known as a liar?”

“You…you don’t understand what it’s like,” James growled, his voice filled with pain. “It’s…it’s like an addiction. It started off as a mere habit, but it became so much more as I grew up. Soon, I was known as a compulsive liar. I couldn’t form any kind of meaningful relationship, not when anyone with an ounce of sense knew not to trust me. So…I became ‘Jack Jones’, someone that anybody could approach and get to know. It was just…so much easier this way. I took up that mantle, and swore that I would never lie again. As far as I was concerned, I had always been Jack.” He shook his head bitterly. “Well…you can see how well _that_ worked out.”

Michael sneered. “Your tragic past doesn’t matter, _James_. What matters right now is that you were spying on us for the mastermind all along. And then you murdered Ciara.”

But James began shaking his head again, faster and more desperately than he had done before.

“Please, I…I know you don’t want to believe me, but I’m _not_ the spy! And I would _never_ kill Ciara! You have my word!”

“Unbelievable,” Michael muttered. “You think we give a shit about your ‘word’, now? You _lied_ to us, from the very start – lied to your friends! People who placed their trust in you!”

“I know!” James shouted. “But…you have to believe me. Fionn, Aisling, Niamh…Nate.” He looked at each of the students in turn. “I didn’t kill Ciara. And I’m not the spy. I despise the mastermind just as much as all of you!”

“Bullshit,” the vet hissed. “If that was true, you would’ve told us the truth _long_ before now!”

“Mick,” Nathan murmured, his voice sounding even more hollow and dull than before. “Shut up for a moment.”

Michael bristled, but held his tongue.

Nathan stared the Ultimate Liar straight in the eye and said, “I believe you.”

The other students gaped, although none were less surprised than the Ultimate Vet.

“I know you, James. You say you’ve been lying to us about who you truly are, but I’m not sure that’s entirely true. I got to know Jack Jones fairly well during the time we spent together. I had a feeling that he was keeping his fair share of secrets, but he never seemed any less than genuine when he spoke about hope, and about escaping from this place together. About his feelings for Gráinne, for me, and for everyone else. Ultimate Liar you may be, but nobody can fake that. Not so well, and not for so long. So, yes, James – I believe you. But I haven’t forgiven you, yet.”

James smiled, his eyes shining. “That’s the best I could ever have hoped for.”

“The liar and the spy are two different people?” Aisling clutched her head in distress. “But, then…who’s the real culprit here?”

Niamh spoke. “I can’t say for certain, but there is a single individual in this room who has been acting strangely lately. If we were to identify the most suspicious person in this room, based on unusual behaviour alone, then one person in particular stands out from the rest.”

As one, five pairs of eyes turned to Michael Reynolds.

The vet blinked. “Er…I’m sorry?”

“Mick,” Nathan began, “why do you always act so aggressive whenever the topic of the mastermind’s spy comes up?”

“…Maybe I just don’t like being tricked and deceived. Can you blame me?”

“It’s more than that,” Nathan went on. “I remember what you were like back at the start of this whole affair. You were fairly quiet, well-mannered and you definitely never lost your temper.”

“Yeah, Mick.” Aisling was frowning at the blond-haired boy. “You used to be so kind. Not just to me, to _everyone_. You even treated Seán fairly well – a lot better than he deserved, I’d say.”

Niamh continued. “But when Monobear revealed the spy’s existence to us, you changed. You withdrew, albeit gradually. Suddenly, it seemed like the spy was all you ever thought about.”

Michael tried and failed to hide his fear behind his bemused expression. “What is this, some kind of Spanish Inquisition? Why are ye all gangin’ up on me?”

“Now he’s gettin’ defensive,” Fionn pointed out.

Michael scoffed. “Of _course_ I’m gettin’ defensive! Ye’re accusin’ me of bein’ a spy, and a murderer! Who _wouldn’t_ get defensive? Do ye actually have any evidence against me, or are ye just doin’ this because _he’s_ leadin’ ye on?” He pointed angrily at Nathan.

“…He has a point,” James conceded. “What evidence do we have that points towards Mick being the spy?”

“Nothing concrete,” Niamh said.

“Exactly,” Michael crowed, folding his arms. “If ye just stopped and used your heads for a minute, ye’d know that the most suspicious person here is the Liar-formerly-known-as-Jack, over there!”

“Hold on a second.” Nathan leaned forward on his podium as he spoke. “True, we don’t have evidence that points towards Mick being the spy, but this isn’t a trial for determining who the mastermind’s spy is.”

James grinned. “It’s a trial for determining who Ciara’s murderer is.”

Fionn blinked. “Wait, what are you sayin’? Do we have evidence for Mick being the culprit?”

“We might just do,” Nathan said, “if we take a moment to think about this. What pieces of evidence did we find that haven’t been explained yet?”

Nathan stood up straight once again, and was surprised to feel something pressing gently against his leg through his left trouser pocket. He slipped a hand into the pocket and closed his fist around the object, before taking it out.

Fionn noticed the movement. “What have you got there?”

“I found this in my pocket,” Nathan told them, holding up the object for all to see. “It’s a lighter.”

“You _found_ it?”

“Yes, Mick. I don’t own a lighter. I didn’t put it there, so obviously someone else did.”

Michael scowled. “And I suppose you think that ‘someone’ was me?”

“I don’t have any proof,” Nathan said. “But you did give me a hug after the body discovery announcement played. I was in a bit of a daze at the time, so I didn’t really think much on it. But this lighter wasn’t in my pocket before Ciara’s fall. And nobody else has drawn that close to me since then.”

“That’s the most useless excuse for proof I’ve ever heard.”

True, Nathan supposed that it was hardly the most convincing argument for someone’s guilt. But the others already suspected Michael of Ciara’s murder. Anything suspicious concerning him that was brought up now would only cast further doubt on the vet’s innocence.

“Hey, Nathan…”

The Ultimate Lucky Student turned to look at who had spoken. It was Fionn.

“I’ve been thinkin’ about what you said. You know, that stuff about evidence that hasn’t been explained yet? Well, Niamh noticed something weird about Ciara’s body.”

“What was it?”

“There were some odd stains on her arm,” Niamh explained. “Traces of blood, and another yellow liquid, smeared across the skin. There weren’t any other bloodstains in the vicinity, either.”

“What do you think that yellow liquid was?” Aisling asked the model.

“I…think it might have been pus.”

Aisling wrinkled her nose. “That’s weird. Did she have some kind of infection?”

“No,” Nathan answered her immediately, before cringing. “I mean, I didn’t notice anything like that…”

Fionn was still thinking hard. “D’you think the killer might’ve left those stains there when they attack Ciara with the chloroform?”

“You mean that the _culprit_ has some kind of infection?” Aisling frowned.

Nathan’s head snapped up, his eyes widening in realisation. “Wait a minute. Mick, show us your hand.”

The vet stiffened, his eyes narrowing. “What for?”

“During the last investigation, you ended up touching some poison. If I recall correctly, you ended up with an injury on that hand because of it. How’s it been healing?”

Michael’s lips pulled back to reveal bared teeth.

“Show us your hand, Mick. If you’re really innocent, then there’s no reason to hide it.”

For what seemed like an age, Mick held Nathan’s angry gaze across the circle of podiums. Gradually, the Ultimate Vet’s snarl faded, his expression becoming one of shame and misery. Wordlessly, he extended his right hand, turning his palm upwards. The skin on the palm, near the base of his fingers, was red and inflamed, Here and there, sores had opened up, and traces of some thick, yellow liquid oozed outwards.

Monobear chuckled from atop his throne. “Ah, severe blistering and pus-filled boils – the signs of coming into direct physical contact with Monobear Poison Beta. Have you been treating it?”

“Every day,” Michael said, his lip curling in fury. “Nothing works.”

“Nothing _will_ work,” Monobear crowed. “I made sure that the medical supplies available to you bastards are ineffective against treating any of my special poisons.”

Aisling was gazing at the vet with something akin to pity or disappointment. “Mick, just…please.”

Michael jerked his hand back, hiding its disgusting appearance from view once more. “It’s fine. I had a feelin’ this was going to happen.” He sighed, and when he spoke again, his voice was heavy with sorrow. “I never was a very good liar.

“I saw the chloroform in the laboratory when me, Jack and Louise visited it a few days ago. I waited up on the top floor landin’ for someone to come by. That someone ended up bein’ Ciara. When she came upstairs, she was heading towards the music room. I jumped her, and I knocked her out using the chloroform. But when I grabbed her, my wound must’ve opened, leavin’ the pus and bloodstains. I didn’t notice it, anyway. I dragged her to the railing, and I tied her by the ankle, using some rope I’d gotten from the warehouse. As for the rope around her neck, I suppose I just wanted to do somethin’ that would make it look like a suicide. But I ran out of time. So I doused some of the rope in oil and set it on fire using my own lighter. I got out of there before the rope could burn all the way through. Monobear told me himself that that particular brand of rope burns relatively slowly. When the flames reached the oil-soaked section of the rope, it burned all the way through, and Ciara…fell to her death. The sound created by the fall brought everyone into the foyer, and I was able to blend in. And yes, I also planted the lighter in your pocket, Nathan. I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry about…well, everything, really.”

Monobear studied the students for a brief moment, before crying out, “Alright, folks! I think it’s time we brought this trial to a close! I’m sure you’re all familiar with the procedure by now.”

The podium screens lit up one more time, allowing each student to select one picture out of seven. Seconds later, the screens were switched off again.

“Aaaaaaaand it looks like the results are in! And what a surprise – you all got it right! The culprit behind the murder of Ciara Maguire was none other than Michael Reynolds! And, as I’m sure you’ve all guessed by now, Michael here was _also_ the little mutt I used to spy on you worthless idiots!”

The Ultimate Vet was clutching the front of his podium with his uninjured hand, his knuckles whitened. For a long, horrible minute, the only sound to be heard in the great chamber was his erratic breathing.

“I can’t believe it,” Fionn breathed. “It was _you_. You were the mastermind’s spy the whole time.”

“…” Michael clenched his teeth, but made no reply.

“Why did you do it?” Nathan croaked, through the lump in his throat. “Why Ciara?”

An involuntary shudder passed through the vet’s body.

“…I didn’t want to hurt anyone,” he said, his voice scarcely more than a whisper.

“Just tell me,” Nathan pleaded.

Michael’s head shook slowly from side-to-side. “You have to understand, I-”

“Tell me!” Nathan roared.

But Michael only shook his head again.

“I think I’ve figured it out,” James said quietly, his gaze set firmly upon the creature atop the throne. “Monobear, you _forced_ Michael to kill Ciara, didn’t you?”

“Ooh, points deducted for specificity,” Monobear tutted. “I didn’t tell him to kill _her_. I just ordered him to kill somebody. It didn’t matter which. Ciara was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, that’s all.”

“But…why would you do such a thing?” Niamh asked. “Michael has been found guilty now. You’ve just lost one of your own assets.”

“Upupu…you think I give a damn what happens to this loser anymore?” Monobear waved a dismissive paw. “He’s outlived his usefulness. He’s just another stray dog, waiting to be put down.”

“But why did he ever agree to spy on us in the first place?” Aisling asked. “I mean…why _him_ , of all people?”

Sweat was dampening the vet’s face. “He…he said that…if I did what he told me…he wouldn’t hurt her.”

Fionn frowned. “Who’re you talking about?”

“Didn’t you know?” Monobear giggled. “Michael has a very special someone outside these walls.”

“You have a girlfriend.” Aisling’s eyes widened slightly as she recalled that piece of information. Suddenly, things had started to make sense.

“Her name is Mia,” Michael said, struggling to keep his voice even. “She was…the mastermind found her. They told me that, if I agreed to spy on you, they wouldn’t let anybody harm her.” He swallowed deeply. “But then, about two days ago, I went to see Monobear to give my usual report…”

 

_Just as he had done so many times before, Michael stepped through the opened doorway to the control room, with the wall sealing shut behind him. Once again, he crossed over to the desk, and sat down in his chair. And once again, he stared impassively into the mismatched eyes of Monobear._

_The bear grinned. “Upupupu! So glad you could make it!”_

_“What do you want?” the vet asked. “I’ve already given you two reports this week. What could be so important that you’d need a third?”_

_“I just thought you’d want to celebrate with me, you know?”_

_“…I’m sorry?”_

_“After all, this’ll be the last report you’ll ever have to give me! Isn’t_ that _a load off your shoulders?”_

_Michael gaped. The implications of Monobear’s revelation had left him stunned._

_The twisted bear obviously found his spy’s expression amusing. “Upupu! Hey, if all goes well, you’ll be outta here in no time!”_

_“Enough games!” the boy snapped. “What are you trying to tell me?”_

_“You see, Mr. Reynolds…I’m getting a bit impatient. After all, there are only seven of you little rascals left, and it’s getting a lot harder to convince you to kill each other. So, I feel that it’s time for a Very Special Incentive TM. And what makes this a Very Special Incentive TM is that it only has one recipient: you!”_

_Michael stiffened. “You…you can’t be serious.”_

_“I’m always serious! I never joke!” Monobear’s grin widened and he let out a snort. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry. That was a joke. Just now. But I was deadly-serious about that Very Special Incentive TM. And heeeeere it is! _

_“If you don’t kill someone for me…” Monobear’s voice dropped to a dangerous hiss. “…You’ll never see your girlfriend again.”_

_Michael shot to his feet. “You fuckin’ piece of shit! You_ swore _to me that you wouldn’t lay a finger on her if I spied for you! And now you’re just going to go back on that deal?!”_

_Monobear frowned. “Hey, now. I’m not sure that appreciate that tone of yours. I’m giving you a chance, here. A chance to see pretty little Mia again. Don’t you want that? You could be a free man again, free to be with your precious ‘loved ones’.” The frown morphed into a vicious scowl. “And yet, here you are, throwing my generous deal back in my furry face! Why I oughtta tear her to pieces right now for your insolence!”_

_Michael flinched, and he slowly sat back down into the chair._

_“There’s a good dog,” Monobear cooed. “Now, it isn’t all that bad. Since you’ve done such a good job as my spy, I’ll let you have access to the warehouse. There’ll be plenty of stuff in there for you to use.” He hesitated. “Although, you have been a bit whiny lately. Even after all the good I’ve done for you. So now I’m gonna stick a time limit on this Very Special Incentive TM. If you don’t kill one of your friends in the next 48 hours, consider little Mia to be as good as gone.”_

_Michael’s body shook violently with suppressed rage. “…Yes.”_

_Monobear tilted his head. “‘Yes’,_ what _?”_

_“Yes…master.”_

_“Good doggie,” Monobear said. “Now, go on, get outta here! I have a feeling you have some plotting to do. Upupu…upupupupu!”_

_And with Monobear’s insane laughter ringing in his ears, Michael fled to control room, bitter tears spilling from his eyes._

“I didn’t want to kill anyone!” Michael protested, his voice weak and filled with sorrow. “I couldn’t just pick one of my friends to murder. So, I…I got what I needed from the warehouse and lab, and I lay in wait on the top floor for someone to come by. I wasn’t waiting long before Ciara came along, making for the music room. I grabbed her, knocked her out and…well, you know what happened next.” He slumped. “I’m a monster. A sick freak – a murderer! And it was all for nothing, too. I’ll never see Mia again,” he sobbed.

“Aaaaaactually,” Monobear interrupted. “Those weren’t quite the terms of the deal. You _did_ act as my spy like the loyal mutt that you are, and you _did_ successfully murder one of your peers. And so, as a bear of my word, I will let you see your sweetheart one last time before your punishment.”

Michael’s head snapped up at the sound of the bear’s words. “You’re…serious?!”

“Of course! Now, I can’t bring her _here_ , since I’ve got her locked away in a secure and undisclosed location. But, I _can_ give you a live video feed!”

Monobear pressed a button, and a blank image was projected onto the chamber wall.

“Say hello to Mia, everybody!” he chirped, and he pressed another button.

The image that now appeared on the wall was difficult to make out. It looked like a darkened room, with walls stained with multitudes of colours: browns, reds and pinks, all splashed around in seemingly-random patterns. But those patterns had also spread to the floor, and they seemed to gather in a particularly gruesome-looking corner of the room. Nathan squinted as hard as he could in an attempt to make out the shape that lay in the corner, only for his stomach to lurch violently as the nature of the stains and figure's shape became disgustingly clear. The horrified cries of his friends were drowned out by the animalistic noise of sheer despair and grief that erupted from Michael.

“You…you sick fuck!” he hissed, through an aching throat. “You promised me you wouldn’t let anyone hurt her! We had a _deal_!”

“We sure did!” Monobear said, his grin looking more feral than ever. “I didn’t do anything bad to her: I _found_ her like this. Some random weirdoes must’ve torn her apart. This was all I could find! But, just like I promised, I never let anyone even touch her…once I had taken her into my care. You have my word that nobody went near her. Or rather… what’s _left_ of her!”

“That’s fucked-up!” Fionn shouted. “Even for _you_!”

“What is wrong with you?!” Aisling cried, her own eyes brimming with tears.

Monobear clutched his sides in a fit of uncontrollable laughter. “Upupupu! Such despair! Beyond even _my_ imagination! That makes it all worth it! This’ll make for some prime viewing for all our watchers at home!”

James stiffened. “What did you say?”

“Huh?” Monobear tilted his head, puzzled. “You mean I didn’t mention it before now? Well, I guess I’d better get it all out in the open, then! Ahem-hem!

“You know those security cameras I have set up around the school? Heck, there are even a few in _here_! Well, they’re not just for me to use to spy on you guys; they’re transmitting a live feed to a broadcasting station. And from there, to every television set in Ireland!”

Nathan stomach dropped. “Y-you mean…?”

“All this time…we were being _watched_?!” Aisling shrieked.

“Upupupupu! You betcha! It’s proven to be quite popular, too! After all, who _wouldn’t_ want to watch the youth of today murder each other on every channel?! I tell ya, it’s better than anything else on Irish TV nowadays!”

Before anyone could fully process the meaning behind Monobear’s words, he shouted out, “And now, unless I’m very much mistaken, I do believe it’s time for the _denouement_ of our trial!”

With a pull of the lever, the chains shot out from the tunnel as it opened up. They latched onto the Ultimate Vet, and tugged him swiftly away.

The students sprinted after Michael’s rapidly-vanishing form, ignoring Monobear’s exclamation of, “Let’s give it everything we’ve got! Iiiiiiit’s _punishment time!_ ”

When the students reached the other side of the tunnel, they found themselves in a stark white room. Cheap plastic seating spread out behind them, and they soon realised that the room had been modelled after an operating theatre. With a growing sense of dread, they turned to face the stage just as the houselights lit up and unveiled what looked like a giant, glass swimming pool, albeit one free of water. In fact, it would have been completely empty, had Michael Reynolds not been sitting inside it, nervously scanning the vicinity for any sign of Monobear’s death trap.

Although he had been unshackled from the chains that had dragged him here, Michael was nonetheless trapped inside the great, glass box. There was no roof on the box, but the vet saw no way of climbing up the walls. Not that there was any point of escape. He didn’t want to. He never wanted to do anything ever again.

He barely even noticed the first object fall from above, landing with a clatter by his feet. His eyes tiredly took in the object’s shape as it glinted in the bright light. It was one he was well acquainted with, with its long tube and plunger, and finally the needle at the tip: a syringe.

With a growing sense of horror building in the pit of his stomach, Michael glanced up at the ceiling just in time to see the rain of syringes drop from above.

There were gasps from the gathered students as Michael was lost from view beneath a hail of needles. There must have been thousands, or hundreds of thousands of syringes, all falling into the glass pit. The Ultimate Vet had barely had enough time to scream. And still the needles fell with a deafening sound of plastic and metal. When the cascade finally came to a stop, there was a moment of gut wrenching silence before Monobear made his presence known.

“Oh, boy! That one was ‘Boy in a Needlestack!’ What a wonderfully tragic end to a wonderfully tragic figure! I guess, in the end, poor old Mick was just as useless as the rest of your dead buddies!”

“How _dare_ you?!” Niamh shouted, her mouth twisted into a hateful scowl. “You used him like a toy, and then carelessly threw him away?! Why?! For what purpose?!”

Monobear blinked. “Purpose? What on earth would I need one of _those_ for? I only ever used a spy to cause conflict between you losers; I didn’t actually _need_ someone to report your actions to me. That’s what I have all those cameras for.” Monobear’s face split into a toothy grin. “Although I think the events of this particular trial have made it all worthwhile! Such deep despair! Everybody loses except _me_! Upupupupupu!”

Niamh was seething, her entire body trembling with rage. Seeing this, Fionn placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Come on,” he said in a soothing tone. “Please...”

Although she was still quaking in anger, Niamh allowed the rugby player to lead her back through the tunnel. The other remaining students followed in their wake, leaving the site of Michael’s death behind them in silence.

 

 

** 5 STUDENTS REMAINING: **

Ultimate Model – Niamh Clarke

Ultimate Rugby Star – Fionn Healey

Ultimate Liar – James Banville

Ultimate Lucky Student – Nathan Murphy

Ultimate Boxer – Aisling Taggart


	40. Chapter 6: The Sickness unto Death - Part 1

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

By the time the students arrived back in the foyer, Night Time was only a few hours away. They ate dinner together in silence, before returning to their respective rooms. They all had a lot to think about.

Fionn missed them. He missed them all. Sure, some of them had murdered his friends, but he still couldn’t help but view them as victims of circumstance. Even Deirdre, Seán, and Louise – those who had shown little to no remorse for their killings, wouldn’t have felt the need to kill anybody had they not been forced into this ‘school life of mutual killing’. Even if Deidre had been self-absorbed and nasty, even if Seán had been a homophobic prick, even if Louise had been smarmy and cruel, none of them had deserved to die. Not in his eyes, at least.

Then there were the murder victims:  Gráinne, Ellie, Orlagh, Ryan, Aidan and Ciara. The Ultimate Prefect had had such a bright future ahead of her –as a politician, or a humanitarian, maybe. All of that had ended when she was dragged into the mastermind’s prison. She could have been a great leader, and would have inspired so much hope among her students. But those prospects had been taken away mere days after their awakening in the school. As for Ellie, he remembered the time she had tried to solicit him. True, he’d been embarrassed, but it seemed then like they could’ve been good friends. That had been only a few days before her death.

Orlagh had never been anything but rude to him. But, honestly, he wasn’t entirely sure how much of that was under her control. The Ultimate Gaeilgeoir had been clearly unstable at the best of times. She hadn’t deserved to die. Out of all the victims, Fionn felt like Aidan and Ryan were the ones he knew best. After all, they had taught him how to swim, albeit under unusual circumstances. But they had never made him feel particularly uncomfortable or useless during their sessions. He’d trusted them. And now they were gone, too.

On the other hand, he’d hardly ever had much interaction with the Ultimate Guitarist before her passing. But he had still appreciated her genuine care and concern for her fellow students. She’d always done her best to keep everyone’s spirits up, whether it was by playing music and singing songs, or just by being there to talk. And in the end, she too had been killed.

But none of those people, no matter how much or how little they had affected him, lingered in his thoughts the way Alex did. The Ultimate Physicist had been his first boyfriend, after all. But even disregarding that, Alex had been Fionn’s closest friend in St. Elpis’. And he’d been the only other person who was…well, like him, unless he counted Ryan. His murder of Orlagh had been a massive shock, and his death was the biggest blow of all. Fionn cursed his inability to remember the time they had spent as students of St. Elpis’. Had they been together back then? If so, how much time had they shared together?

It didn’t seem like Fionn would ever know.

 

 

Over the last few weeks in St. Elpis’, it seemed that Niamh had lost almost everyone who had ever cared about her. Alex had been the first person to really spend time with her, and had been a huge part of what made her start to come out of her shell. She’d been hurt by his murder of Orlagh. At the time, she’d felt almost betrayed. Now, she regretted those feelings. She’d have given almost anything to have him back. He’d have known how to handle things, she felt. Instead, people had been looking to her during the murder investigations. Niamh supposed that had been her own fault – she had volunteered for that position. But she didn’t think she’d ever be able to live up to the Ultimate Physicist’s memory.

Then there was Louise, who Niamh had thought she’d known rather well. The journalist had struck her as being rather kind, at least to Niamh. True, she had shown traces of her arrogant nature, but she hadn’t seemed to be a terrible person…until her conviction as the murderer of Ryan and Aidan. It was like the girl had transformed, right there in the courtroom, into some twisted monster of a human being. Had Niamh really been so naive as to have missed all the signs? It just went to show how foolish she really was.

And finally, there was Michael. The model couldn’t deny that she had felt an attraction towards him; he’d been so caring and patient with her during the time she had known him. Honestly, he’d been the last person she would’ve thought was the mastermind’s spy. But then he, too, had betrayed her – betrayed them all. Or had he even been on their side to begin with?

Everyone that Niamh became close to during the mutual killing game had ended up murdering someone for their own needs, well-intentioned or otherwise. The only one who hadn’t was Fionn, and how had she responded? By pushing him away.

And now Niamh had never felt so alone.

 

 

Aisling remembered Michael. She remembered the time he had cheered her up, just after the first trial. How kind he’d seemed back then…so considerate. But he’d probably already been spying on them all for the mastermind by then. Had everything been an act? Or was the Michael that she saw the real thing?

The Ultimate Boxer was in a similar dilemma when it came to Jack – or rather, James. True, he’d been keeping the secret of his true identity hidden from them all, but not without reason. And she agreed with Nathan when she recalled all the times that James, as Jack, had told them to keep hope alive. Having heard the passion in his voice, having seen the conviction written all over his face, was enough to make her want to believe it had all been genuine.

Of course, she was still recovering from the shock of having lost both Aidan and Ryan all at once. Out of everyone in the group, she’d felt the closest to them both. True, their little bromance had made her feel like a third wheel at times, and their attitudes had occasionally gotten on her nerves just a bit. But there was no way to replace people like them. Especially Ryan…God, her chest still ached when she thought of him. And even more so when she thought of John. He was her _boyfriend_ , for God’s sake! And how had she remembered him? By allowing herself to fall for someone else, and on livetelevision! No doubt the entire country had witnessed her attraction to the Ultimate Dancer. If John was watching, what would he have thought? And her lost memories frustrated her to no end; had John ever come to St. Elpis’, like he’d promised? And if so, where was he now?

Aisling was finding it harder and harder to keep her emotions in check.

 

 

James’s true self had been revealed, practically forced out into the open. The very secret he’d tried for so long to hide…all of his efforts had been rendered null by the events of the day’s trial. Now he was back to square one. How would any of the others trust him again? He’d been lucky enough that Nathan had believed him when he told him that he didn’t kill Ciara – otherwise the trial could have taken a disastrous turn. But he’d seen the misgivings in the Ultimate Lucky Student’s eyes: it wouldn’t be easy regaining the trust he had lost today. James could hardly blame him. He’d been trying so hard to be anything other than the Ultimate Liar. But he’d only ever been lying to himself.

 _Well, all of that stops now,_ he swore. He was James Banville – that would always be true. But he didn’t have to be the Ultimate Liar. Not anymore.

He only wished the others would be able see how much he wanted to reform.

 

 

Nathan couldn’t help it – the tears streamed freely down his face, staining his cheeks and leaving his pillow damp. Ever since seeing Ciara’s body fall in the foyer that afternoon, he’d been so consumed by confusion and shock that he’d barely had time to process his emotions. The truths revealed during the trial hadn’t helped in the matter, it had just been too much for him to take in all at once. But now, with the excitement over, Nathan’s grief and fear crashed over him like a wave, prompting him to curl into a ball on top of his bed and weep bitterly. It wasn’t just Ciara that he mourned, although her death felt like it had left him with a gaping hole in his heart, but everything that had occurred over the last few weeks or so. He cried for Gráinne, for Ellie and Seán, and for Alex, Ryan and Aidan. He cried for Rick and Margaret, and for every other one of his school friends who had died at the hands of Ultimate Despair. He cried for his family and friends at home, wondering if he’d ever see them again, or whether they were even still alive.

But the tears benefitted him more than they did him harm. It was good that this was all coming out, he reflected later. When he simply had no more grief to express, it left his heart hardened. He knew then that he would no longer allow despair to rule him. Tomorrow, he would see his surviving friends again. And together, they would plan for their own futures, and on how to finally escape the mastermind’s malicious clutches once and for all.

For the sake of his fallen comrades, Nathan would carry on.


	41. Chapter 0: Mnemosyne - Part 4

As soon as everyone had prepared themselves, the students took the next flight of stairs, leading up to the third floor. The acrid smell of gunpowder and blood was stronger here than it had been below; they were drawing closer and closer to Ultimate Despair’s base of operations. When they arrived on the third floor landing, they were dismayed to find that the next set of stairs had been blocked off with a pile of rubble.

“They knew we were coming,” Finbar observed. “And they’ve taken the necessary steps to ensure we play by their rules.”

Nathan sighed. “A trap, then?”

“Would you expect anything else?”

“What do we do now?” Niamh asked. “The stairway on the far side of the halls is the only one other way up to the next floor.”

“If Fionn were here,” Alex murmured, “he could try moving some of the rubble. Then we’d have a clear shot up to the fourth floor.”

Seán raised an eyebrow. “Fionn’s not the only strong man in the school. Just because he’s ridin’ _you…”_

“Get to the point!” Alex snapped, his face turning red.

The Ultimate GAA Head grinned. “I could try shiftin’ some of that rubble. If you’d let me.”

“Unless they’re expecting _that_ , as well,” FInbar muttered. “I wouldn’t put anything past Ultimate Despair.”

“We have to do _something_!” Aisling protested. “Standing around arguing again isn’t going to get us anywhere.”

“Then let’s leave clearing the rubble as a last resort,” Alex decided. “We’ll start by investigating the stairs on the other side.”

They all agreed that it was a sound idea, and so they crossed the landing and made their way down the western corridor. Nathan found himself near the front of the group, walking alongside Seán. The GAA head was eyeing their surroundings with no small amount of suspicion. Indeed, now that Nathan noticed it, the hallway was a lot cleaner than any of the ones they had passed through before. It was free of corpses, for a start. And the smell of gunpowder had almost faded.

“This _is_ a trap,” Nathan muttered to Seán.

“No shit. I knew we should’ve stayed by the stairs.”

“You seriously think you could’ve moved that rubble?”

He shrugged. “Dunno. Probably, if I’d had a chance.”

Nathan glanced over his shoulder at the eight or so people behind them. “We should let the others know what they’re getting in-”

The air was ripped apart by a deafening eruption of sound and dust. Nathan was blasted off his feet and sent hurtling through the air, tumbling head-over-heels until he collided with something heavy and he collapsed to the floor. His head was swimming, but he was certain that the surface beneath him was shaking. Eventually, although he wasn’t sure just how much time had passed, the vibrating stopped, and the pain in his head – and the rest of his body – began to fade ever so slightly.

“-ph! Murph! Get up, Murph!”

The voice was shouting, but it barely registered in Nathan’s ears. His ears were ringing, and his vision was completely blank. It wasn’t until he felt a hand grasp him by the elbow, and was hauled up to his feet, that he realised he’d been lying face-down on the floor.

“Come _on_ , Murph!”

He blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision. Eventually, he was able to see the dust-caked boy who was holding his arm and shouting into his face.

“Wh-what happened?” Nathan’s voice sounded very far-away in his own ears.

Seán shook his head, dust coming loose from his hair. “I don’t know. I think there was a bomb on the ceilin’. We just walked under it, and it went off.”

The Ultimate GAA Head suddenly broke off, and began to cough and choke, having obviously inhaled some of the dust that still polluted the air. As he doubled over, gagging, he pointed towards a wall of debris that had formed in the middle of the corridor. The ceiling above the rubble had been cracked and badly damaged, Nathan could see. The corridor on the next floor up had collapsed into their level, blocking off the hallway entirely.

“Just what we need,” Nathan muttered. “Another wall of rubble.”

Seán spat, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his jersey, before saying, “The others are on the far side of that wall. The only ones left here are you, me, Clarke, and Chang.”

“Where are they?”

Seán jerked his head towards a bundle of clothes and limbs just outside one of the classroom doors. After a few more blinks, the bundle’s shape formed itself into two teenagers, lying dazed on the floor – Niamh and Finbar.

“They were closest to the blast,” he explained. “You were out for a minute or two, yourself.”

“What about the others?” Nathan asked. “On the far side. Are they alright?”

Seán grimaced. “I don’t know, Murph. There’s no answer from them when I call.”

A cold, sinking feeling gripped the Ultimate Lucky Student. “Then…we have to press on. We can still hold onto the hope that they’re all still okay.”

The GAA player regarded the boy quietly for a few moments, before nodding. “Alright. Then we’d better get these two movin’.”

Within a few minutes, Niamh and Finbar had recovered sufficiently enough to stand and walk. Together, they all staggered down the corridor, passing by the bloodstained classrooms. In the aftermath of the explosion, the corridor’s walls and floor were coated with a thick layer of dust, and the whole place was eerily quiet. That was, until a shout came from somewhere down the hall.

“Help!”

Immediately, Nathan rushed forwards, the others following in his wake. The students only came to a halt when they came across a trembling figure lying on the floor, groaning in pain. It was an adult man, whose face seemed oddly familiar to them.

“Wh-who’s there…?” he called.

“Jesus,” Niamh breathed. “Is that you, Fintan?”

“Who’s that?” the man asked, turning his head in their direction, bringing his face into full view. Although his eyes were screwed tightly shut, and his face coated in blood, dust and stubble, they all recognised the school’s caretaker, Fintan Whelan.

“You’re alive,” Nathan murmured. “We thought you’d been killed along with the rest of the staff.”

The caretaker shook his head. “I managed to escape from those bastards. I’ve been hiding away ever since. P-please help… I can’t see…”

The Ultimate Lucky Student took a step towards the shaking man, only to feel a strong hand grasping at my shoulder.

“Hold on, Murph,” Seán murmured in a low voice. “We don’t know if he’s telling the truth. What if he’s one of them?”

Nathan glanced back over his shoulder, meeting the GAA head’s eye. “But it’s _Fintan_!” he hissed. “He’s our friend. _Everyone’s_ friend. How could he be…?”

“I’m just telling you to mind yourself.” Seán reluctantly let go of his shoulder, his eyes fixed on the caretaker’s prone figure. “You, of all people, should know better than to trust everyone.”

Nathan turned away again, hiding his expression.

“Are you alright?” Niamh asked gently. “Can you move?”

Fintan shook his head. “N-no…there’s something wrong with my legs…”

“The blast may have injured him,” Finbar mused. “We don’t know the entirety of the damage the explosion caused to the structure of the building.”

Slowly, the Ultimate Chess Master approached the injured man. Nathan decided that having two heads was a safer option than just the one, and so he followed Finbar’s lead.

Finbar crouched down beside the caretaker. “Now, then. Where are you hurt? I’m not a doctor, but I can still-”

Suddenly, a voice cried out from nearby.

“Watch out!”

Nathan didn’t know whether it was his reflexes that saved him, or just sheer luck. Nevertheless, he leaped backwards as the caretaker lunged towards Finbar, with a knife clutched tightly in his hand. The chess master exhaled sharply as the blade plunged in and out of his chest, over and over, blood spurting onto the floor. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Nathan staggered back to his surviving friends, too shocked to cry out. Fintan stood, his legs no longer trembling, and regarded the three students with eyes filled with madness.

He darted forwards as Seán fumbled for the machine gun. But he knew it would be too late – by the time he had brought the gun up to fire at the attacking madman, one of his friends would have already been dead.

So he was surprised, as were Nathan and Niamh, when somebody sprinted past them and collided with the caretaker, bowling him over. Quick as a flash, the newcomer pinned Fintan to the floor, wrestling with the man. The caretaker was giggling, even as the knife was taken from his grip. The insane laughter only stopped when the blade was tearing through his throat, turning instead into a sick gurgling sound that gradually faded to nothing.

Their apparent saviour stood, and Nathan could finally take in the person’s appearance. It was a male, dressed in a St. Elpis’ school uniform, which was not nearly as worn or tattered as the ones belonging to Nathan and company. Brilliant green eyes peeped out from behind a messy black fringe – eyes that Nathan knew all too well.

“Hi,” James Banville said. “I’m back.”


	42. Chapter 6: The Sickness unto Death - Part 2

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

Nathan was surprised the next morning, on the twenty-second day of the mutual killing game, to find everybody sitting in the refectory by the time he arrived there at exactly half-past seven. Even Jack- _James_ was there, sitting in his usual spot.

“Good morning, Nathan.”

“…Yeah, morning.” Nathan returned the greeting as he sat down. Almost immediately, the Ultimate Liar stood up as though to address them.

“Now that you’re all here,” James began, “I want to apologise. For everything. ‘Ultimate Liar’ or not, it wasn’t right for me to deceive all of you for so long. Hell, I shouldn’t have deceived you in the first place.

“But when I woke up here, and everyone was confused and afraid, well…I didn’t think that introducing myself as the Ultimate Liar would help matters very much. I thought I’d wait until things had calmed down a bit, then I’d reveal my true identity and, at the end of the day, no one would be hurt.”

Aisling frowned. “But things never ‘calmed down’, did they? So you had to keep lying.”

James nodded solemnly. “That’s right. And, like I said during the trial yesterday, it’s hard to stop the lying once it starts. Like any addiction, the more you do it, the more you _need_ to do it. I found myself needlessly lying to people more and more often. If I hadn’t been outed when I was…well, who knows what would’ve happened. I might’ve ended up going back to the way I used to be.”

“Which was?” Fionn asked, a little hesitantly.

James smiled wryly. “Let’s just say they didn’t call me the ‘Ultimate Liar’ for nothing. It was…a dark time.” The smile faded. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“I suppose that’s fair enough. But just apologisin’ isn’t goin’ to make this all better, you know.”

“But, Fionn, it’s not like there was much harm done in the end,” Aisling pointed out. “Even if Jack – I mean James – had properly introduced himself from the start, we still probably would’ve had to go through all this.”

“‘Not much harm’?” Fionn jerked his head in the direction of the Ultimate Lucky Student. “Try tellin’ Nathan that. He’s the one who knew Jack the best. You’re sayin’ he wasn’t hurt by all the lies?”

“Fionn, it’s okay,” Nathan reassured him. “Once I’m finished breakfast, me and James are going to have a chat. Just the two of us.”

James nodded, a smile playing on his lips. “That’s fine. But I meant what I’ve said all along – I’m not letting the mastermind have their way. There might be only five of us left, but we’re the five who are getting out of here together, once and for all. I’m not losing anybody else.”

And with that, he sat back down again, and resumed eating his cereal.

Before too long, James followed Nathan out of the refectory. Fionn made eye contact with the Ultimate Model, who was sitting across the table from him. Silently, she nodded. Aisling caught the movement, and she stood up from her seat.

“I think I’ll head off, too,” she said, perhaps a bit too loudly. “I might go for a swim. See you later.”

The two of them muttered their goodbyes to the Ultimate Boxer as she departed, leaving them alone in the refectory.

Silence fell in the boxer’s wake. Neither of them knew exactly how to start the inevitable conversation. Fionn eventually decided to start with what needed to be said.

“I’m sorry.”

Niamh shook her head. “ _I’m_ the one who needs to apologise. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I could’ve at least been more patient with you. You’ve been goin’ through the same shit that I have. But I tried to force you to open up.”

“You were only doing what you thought was best.”

“That’s not good enough!” he snapped, before wincing. “Sorry. Nothing’s been the same since Alex died. I knew that. But I never tried to consider how you felt.”

“Yes, you did. That day, after the fourth trial, when you tried to talk to me? That…really meant a lot to me. At the time, I was too frightened to see it. But you and Aisling were the only ones who cared enough to try and help. And all I did was push you away. If anything, I never stopped to consider how _you_ felt. It was the same with Aisling. I tried to be strong, and stay in control of myself. But I ended up doing was alienating myself when I needed help the most.”

“Everybody makes mistakes.”

“But _my_ mistakes could cost lives!” Niamh exclaimed. “We were lucky, the last two times, that we found the true culprit. Alex didn’t need luck – he had talent and intelligence. Unlike me. We only caught Louise because James noticed her acting suspicious during the investigation. And we never would’ve suspected Mick if he hadn’t given himself away during the trial.”

“You make it sound like you haven’t done anythin’.”

She sighed, a sound of pure weariness and grief. “All I’ve done is make a mess of everything. If Alex were still around, he’d be so disappointed.”

No sooner had the model finished the sentence than she felt a pair of big, strong arms wrap around her. Fionn held her close, pulling her into his chest.

“Don’t ever talk like that,” he whispered. “Alex wouldn’t want you to bottle everythin’ up the way he did.”

“But he was so strong compared to me! I’ve let everything get to me, let it all wear me down…”

“Nobody could’ve done the things you’ve done over the last few weeks and _not_ let it get to them. You’ve been through so much.”

“But so has everyone else! Why should I be allowed to cry? Why should I get special treatment?”

Fionn sighed, his eyes squeezing shut. “I know this’ll probably sound a bit hypocritical comin’ from someone called the ‘Ultimate Rugby Star’…but you can’t judge yourself by other peoples’ standards. You’ll never be happy that way. You don’t have to be Alex, or anyone else other than yourself. You’re Niamh Clarke – the Ultimate Model, and a maths genius besides. And you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met.” He chuckled softly. “Not that that means much coming from me.”

Quiet, sniffling sounds reached his ears, and he realised that Niamh was crying.

“…I miss him,” she murmured, through her tears.

Gently, Fionn reached his hand up to stroke the back of her head. “I know. I miss him, too. I miss all of them. The mastermind – whoever the hell they are – will pay for what they did to them.” His own voice cracked, and he struggled to fight the tears that sprung to his eyes. “And we _will_ get out of here. I promise you that.”

They stood there, wrapped in each other’s embrace, for a long time. Soon enough, they knew, they would have to let go and face what came next – more trials and tribulations…more despair. But, for the time being, they had each other. The two friends had finally reconciled.

 

*** 

 

Nathan led James upstairs to the first floor lounge by the stairwell. They sat down on opposite sides of the couch. After a moment’s silence, James began speaking.

“I never knew my dad. He either died or left when I was very young. My mother never told me what happened to him – or anything else about him, for that matter. The only reason I know he exists is because of her wedding pictures.

“As for _her_ , well…we never got on very well. She was a powerful woman with an important career, and I’m sure she never saw me as any more than an annoying distraction. When I was still fairly young, she left me with a foster family without ever telling me why. Hell, I don’t think she even told _them_ the real reason why. From what I can tell, I just don’t think she was bothered to look after me anymore.”

He paused for a thoughtful moment. “Eva was her name – Eva Banville.

“Anyway, that foster family wasn’t much better than her. In fact, they were a lot worse. At least _she_ never beat me. I’d go to school the next morning and have to explain away the bruises. That was when the lying began. I’d conjure up the most amazing stories I could in an attempt to hide the truth. I ended up being the centre of attention in class because all the other boys and girls wanted to do was listen to my tall tales. Of course, the teachers noticed my injuries, and the authorities were inevitably informed; I got taken away from them, and sent to another family. Luckily for me, _these_ people never laid a finger on me. But, as a result, I never needed to make up stories, and so nobody in my new school ever paid the slightest bit of attention to me. At least, not until I started lying again. It was just little things at first: things like where I was from and who my family was. But then it started spiralling out of control. Soon, I wasn’t just lying in school; I started lying at home, too. Eventually, it was just too much trouble for that family to keep me, so they sent me off.

“And that’s the way things were with my life. Sometimes, I’d get into trouble with the law, and I’d have to move homes again. A new home meant a new family, a new school, and new people to deceive. I’d reinvent myself as a different person each time – with ‘Jack Jones’ being the most recent of those fake identities. I know all of this probably sounds really irrational to you, but you have to know – it’s difficult to fight the urge to lie. Back then, lying was all I really knew how to do. And I was good at it, too. Really good. After a while, the police caught on to me, and they ended up hooking me up to a polygraph.”

“Like a lie detector?”

“Yeah, exactly. I fooled it without even trying. They sent me off, but I suppose that one of the higher-ups in St. Elpis’ must’ve found out about it, and everything else I’d done. It wasn’t long after that when I got my letter inviting me here as the Ultimate Liar. And, well, you know what happened next.” He paused, before chuckling at the irony. “Actually, neither of us knows what happened next. My memories are still taking their time to come back. I should probably count myself lucky they’re coming back at all.”

Once again, silence fell between the two boys.

“That’s my tragic backstory in its entirety, if you were wondering. I know it doesn’t excuse the things I’ve done. I did lie to you, and for that, I’m really sorry.”

Nathan sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I dunno, James. I get that you’ve had a hard time of it, I honestly do. But Jack Jones was my friend, and James Banville is…”

He recalled the events from his recovering memories – how James had apparently betrayed them all and joined Ultimate Despair. If James really was as good of a liar as he said, how could anyone be sure that he wasn’t preparing to betray them again? He _wanted_ to believe in James, but should someone known as the Ultimate Liar ever really be trusted?

“…a stranger,” James finished the sentence that Nathan had left hanging. “I understand. If anything, I was expecting this. It’s no less than I deserve.” He made to stand up, but Nathan clapped a hand onto his shoulder.

“Wait. If I’m going to give you a second chance, I need to know that this is the end of it all. No more lying from now on. Alright?”

James’ eyes widened, and he gave a rapid series of nods. “Yes. Nathan, I…I can’t believe you’re giving me another chance. I swear I won’t let you down.”

Nathan smiled, and finally let himself relax. “Good.”

James breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Thank God.” He chuckled. “I suppose it’s a bit ironic for _me_ , of all people, to give you my word on something.”

But Nathan shook his head. “I don’t think so. You’re not defined by a title, and certainly not by a title that was given to you by someone else. None of us are. Fionn’s more than just a rugby player – he sows, he does arts and crafts, and most of the time he wouldn’t hurt a fly. Aisling’s more than just a boxer – she’s a sister of eight, a swimmer, and apparently a bit of a fan of romantic films. And Niamh isn’t just a fashion model – she loves maths and physics, and hides a strong personality beneath her insecurities. And I know that you’re more than you think you are, James. You’re not just the Ultimate Liar…you can be so much more.”

James was speechless for a few seconds, prompting Nathan to shrink back down into the couch in embarrassment.

“Too much?”

“No, no. Nathan, you…you’re right. I should’ve realised it before now. We’re more than just what our titles imply.” An amused expression crossed his face. “Hah, if I’d realised that, I probably never would’ve…” The expression froze. “Never would’ve…what…?”

Nathan peered quizzically at his friend. “Sorry?”

“I just…I thought…never mind.”

“James,” Nathan warned.

“I’m not lying, I swear!” James waved his hands in exasperation. “It’s just…there was something on the edge of my memory. Like, something that happened in the past we lost. For a second, there, I nearly had it. But then it faded away again.”

“I don’t think you should try to force it. Whatever the hell they did to us, it couldn’t have been pleasant if it erased our memories. I’m not a psychologist or anything, but I don’t think it’ll help to try and overcome the memory-wiping by brute force. It’ll come eventually, I hope.”

James nodded, the tension leaving him. “You might be right. So…have your memories returned in full?”

Nathan shook his head. “Not yet. So far, all I’ve been remembering is bits and pieces. But I’ve had a lot of visions of the last few weeks we spent in St. Elpis’ after it was taken over.”

“…Wait, ‘taken over’?!” James’ head spun to face Nathan. “You never mentioned that! What happened?!”

Taking a deep breath, Nathan told James everything he knew of the last days of St. Elpis’ College, followed by an account of Ultimate Despair’s reign over the school. He hesitated when it came to describing James’ betrayal of his classmates, but decided that it would ultimately be hypocritical of him to leave that part out after James had just opened up to him about his own past. Finally, he told him what he knew so far of the planned assault on Ultimate Despair’s base.

“Somehow, I don’t think that plan succeeded,” Nathan concluded. “The fact that we’re here right now means that something must’ve gone wrong.”

James stared at his hands, which were lying face-up in his lap. “I…don’t believe it. How could I have…?”

“James, look at me.”

No response.

“Look at me.”

Slowly, the Ultimate Liar lifted his head to meet Nathan’s gaze.

“I trust you. Regardless of what you’ve done in the past, I’ve already forgiven you. And besides, you were thrown in here with us. Maybe you changed your mind at the last minute and tried to help us? They might’ve put you through all this as punishment.”

“I really hope you’re right, Nate.”

“So…what have you remembered so far?”

“Well, for me, it’s been the exact opposite of what you’ve been through. I remember the first few weeks and months of school – our first year in St. Elpis’.”

“What was it like?”

“…Amazing. It was the first time in my life where I didn’t have to lie in order to make friends. Suddenly, I was surrounded by other Ultimate Students, who all knew the sort of stuff I’d been through. They knew that I didn’t want to be associated entirely with my title.” James groaned, rubbing his forehead gingerly. “If only I’d had those memories from the moment I woke up here. That way, I’d never have introduced myself as ‘Jack Jones’, and we could’ve avoided all of this.”

“I’m sure that was part of the mastermind’s intention when they wiped our memories in the first place. After all, if we remembered our days spent together in school, I doubt any of us would’ve let Monobear convince us to kill each other.”

As though prompted, the loudspeakers immediately performed their usual _click_ , and the voice of Monobear filled the halls.

_“Attention, attention! I would like to call all students to the auditorium, immediately! No lingering in the halls! Lateness will not be tolerated!”_

Another click, and the school fell silent once again.

Nathan winced, his ears still ringing from the sudden announcement.

“I suppose we’d better go see what he wants,” he said.

“Yeah, alright. I don’t like this, mind you.”

“Me neither, James. Me neither.”

And so together, they set off back downstairs.


	43. Chapter 6: The Sickness unto Death - Part 3

_Laethanta (Mí)Normálta_  -  (Ab)Normal Days

Fionn and Niamh were the first ones to enter the auditorium, soon followed by Nathan and James. Monobear was already waiting for them, standing atop the same podium he had addressed them from at the start of the mutual killing game.

“I suppose,” the bear began with a flourish, “you’re all wondering why I’ve called you losers up on such short notice.”

“Hey,” Fionn interrupted him with a grunt. “At least wait until Aisling gets here before you start your big speech.”

Monobear bristled. “You mean she’s late? After I _demanded_ she come as soon as possible?!”

At that moment, the auditorium doors were flung open and Aisling sprinted in, a towel wrapped tightly around her hair.

“What is it _now_?” she grumbled. “I was in the middle of having a swim, you know!”

“Unacceptable!” Monobear hollered, pointing an accusatory claw at the Ultimate Boxer. “I told you I wouldn’t tolerate any lateness!” All of a sudden, he let his outstretched hand drop, and a sick grin spread across one half of his face. “But maybe what I have to say next will be punishment enough for your insolence.

“As even you idiots can tell, there are just five students left taking part in this mutual killing game. Unfortunately, this has the added effect of making things a lot less interesting for our viewers at home; there’s a lot less mystery and suspense when there are only a handful of possible murder suspects. That’s just the way it is, I’m afraid. And so…I’ve decided to bust out the Final Incentive!”

Nathan tensed, as did the other four students. They had been right to be worried about Monobear’s decision to call them here.

Monobear cackled. “Upupupu! And what an incentive it is! James, cast your mind back to the first day here. You remember you asked a certain question when I was explaining the rules of the mutual killing game? I think it was something along the lines of…‘What’s stopping us from just turning on each other right now?’ Of course, the Graduation Rule prevents that sort of thing from happening. Well, I’m happy to state that that rule’s criteria have been altered.”

James hissed. “Oh, no…”

“Thaaaaat’s _right!_ I now declare a free-for-all! The winner, or the last student standing after all of his or her peers have been killed, will be allowed to graduate the school alone! And there’s no need to be sneaky – it doesn’t matter if anyone knows you did the deed anymore! I call this the ‘Graduation Finale Rule’!”

Nathan’s stomach lurched. “You…you can’t just…!”

“Oh, yes I ca-an!” Monobear cried in a sing-song voice. “I think you’ll find that it clearly states in your Student ID Card that _‘Additional rules may be added at any time if deemed necessary by the principal’._ So I’m well within my rights to do just that!”

“But you can’t seriously expect _us_ to start murdering each other?” Aisling scoffed. “We’ve come _way_ too far to just fall apart and start fighting now!”

Monobear tutted. “The ratings are gonna suffer a serious nose-dive, you know.”

“You think we give a _fuck_ about that?!” Fionn shouted. “We’re finished with all this! You hear me?! We’re _done_!”

“No more killing,” Niamh vowed, glaring defiantly at the principal. “That’s what we swore.”

“Your sick little ‘game’ is over,” Nathan told him. “Now let us leave.”

“Upu?” Monobear tilted his head in puzzlement. “Huh. Well, I suppose I can’t say I didn’t see this coming. Well…yeah, alright.”

Fionn blinked, surprise overriding his anger. “What?”

“Yeah, I’ll let you guys go. But I’m adding in one little proviso. You losers will be allowed to leave the school if – and _only_ if – you defeat me in the Final Trial. Upupu!”

“And just what would this ‘Final Trial’ entail?” Niamh asked.

“It works quite a bit differently from the School Trials that you little bastards are used to. Your opponent will be none other than yours truly – the great and powerful Monobear! I’ll ask you a series of questions, and you’ll need to answer them all correctly in order to achieve victory.”

“What sort of questions?” James asked, with one eyebrow raised.

Monobear wagged a finger and crowed, “ _That_ would be telling! I will leave evidence around the building during the lead-up to the trial, and then it’ll be up to all of you to gather the information and prepare accordingly. Think of it as a final exam, bringing together everything you’ve learned and presenting it in the correct fashion. If you answer all the questions correctly, then I’ll let you all leave without harming a hair on your pretty little heads. However…”

“Let me guess,” Nathan cut in. “If we fail to get any one of the questions right, we all face punishment.”

“Top marks! I won’t accept anything less than 100% from you ingrates. Otherwise, you’ll _all_ suffer the consequences. So, are we in agreement? You can face the Final Trial and gain a chance at freedom, or you can all stay here and live comfortably in this place for the rest of your lives.” Monobear chuckled maliciously. “However long they may be.”

Aisling rolled her eyes. “When you put it like that, what choice do we have, really?”

A brief glance around the room told James that everyone had made their decision.

“We accept your proposal, Monobear,” he said. “When will this trial be held?”

“Hmmm…I’m thinking this evening? No, no, wait. I still need some time to prepare the evidence and such. Let’s say… tomorrow. You’ll spend the morning and early afternoon gathering information, and then the trial will commence at three o’ clock that afternoon. Then each of you will truly face despair like never before. Upupu…upupupupupupupu! Aaaaa-hahahahahahahaha!”

With a final howl of maniacal laughter, Monobear somersaulted off of the podium and vanished from sight.

“Well,” Nathan said eventually, once the sound of the bear’s laughing had finally stopped reverberating around the auditorium, “ _that_ happened.”

“What have we just gotten ourselves into?” Aisling muttered.

“ _Anything’s_ better than the alternate,” Niamh pointed out. “Still, I wonder…what prompted the mastermind to do something this rash?”

Fionn grunted. “Something about ratin’s, or some other bullshit like that.”

“But is that really all?” Niamh was frowning deeply. “There must be some reason – a serious reason – why the mastermind wants to bring this game to an end so soon.”

“I’m not complainin’,” Fionn said, a bitter smile appearing on his face as he observed his surroundings. “The sooner we can get out of this place, the better. I need to see my granny and granddad again. And Ruán!” He sighed. “He must be nearly nine years old by now. What’ve they all been doin’ with me gone, I wonder?”

Nathan flinched. “R-right. I…there’s something I should tell everyone. A few things, actually.”

Aisling frowned. “Really? What is it?”

“It’s…a long story. And I’m not sure you’ll actually believe me if I tell you.”

“We trust you, Nathan,” Niamh reassured him, giving him a brief smile. “But if you have important information, we all need to hear it.”

Nathan met James’ eye, and received a nod.

“…Alright. But youse aren’t going to like it.

“I’ve been slowly getting my memories back – the ones that the mastermind erased. So far, it’s just been fragments. But I can remember…what happened to the outside world.”

Silence followed his last statement, which Nathan took as his cue to continue.

“There was this group. They called themselves Ultimate Despair. I’m not sure what they were trying to do, or who they even _were_ , really. But, somehow, they were involved with what happened out there – the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history.”

“What was it?” Niamh asked.

“I don’t know. I’m sorry, but I can’t remember it all. Most of it was kept away from us, anyway. When things got bad, the staff of St. Elpis’ College organised a massive lock-in of those in the school. That’s how we all ended up in here, with the doors and windows barricaded. It was bad enough out there that we were willing to stay in here for as long as we needed to.

“But, as it turned out, some of the staff and students were members of Ultimate Despair. Once we were stuck in here for good, they took control. Killed off everyone who tried to fight back, including the students. We’re the survivors.”

“Oh my God…”Aisling breathed.

“Is this true?” Niamh’s eyes were pleading silently with him. “Nathan? Is this all true?”

Nathan’s eyes flickered shut. “It is. These visions I’ve been having are too clear to be anything other than memories of what happened.”

“Wait a minute,” Fionn said. “If the mastermind can get rid of our memories, then who says they can’t make new ones for us?”

Nathan’s mouth opened soundlessly. He hadn’t thought of that. He was certain that the things he had seen _had_ actually happened, but he couldn’t deny Fionn’s suggestion.

James interrupted Nathan’s train of thought. “I’ve been remembering things, as well. Things from before everything went to hell. They all feel real enough to me. I believe Nathan’s telling the truth.”

Although warmed by James’ trust in him, Nathan admitted, “I don’t have any proof that confirms what I’ve seen. All I’ve got is a really strong feeling.”

Aisling was wincing as though in pain. “But, if all that really _is_ true, then what’s happened to everyone on the outside? What about our families? Our friends?”

Fionn gritted his teeth. “I…I don’t want to believe it. I want to know that my brother and everyone else are alright.”

“Then we’ll go find them,” Niamh swore. “We’ll win the final trial and leave this terrible place.”

“I…” Fionn squeezed his eyes shut. “I need to think about this.”

He turned and walked away from the group, leaving the auditorium the way he’d come in. James immediately chased after him, calling his name.

Aisling watched them leave. “Are they going to be alright?”

Nathan’s eyes were on the boxer. “I think so. But, Aisling…we need to have a chat.”

She blinked. “Oh. Okay, then.”

Soon, Niamh was left alone in the great room. She turned to face the podium once again, surveying it, and thinking on the words of the creature that had stood upon only minutes beforehand.

Although the Ultimate Model was confident in their ability to succeed in the trial that lay ahead, she couldn’t help but feel anxious. Monobear…no, the mastermind had shown themselves to be nothing if cunning. She doubted that the trial would go on in their favour. Not without a hitch or two.

And what was all this about James and Nathan recovering bits and pieces of their memories? None of the others had mentioned anything like that happening to them. Niamh _certainly_ couldn’t remember anything after arriving in St. Elpis’ College for the first time. What had caused the two boys’ memories to return?

With only her thoughts for company, Niamh left the silent auditorium behind her.

 

***

 

James caught up with Fionn upstairs, just outside the gym. The Ultimate Rugby Star was staring through the window, looking down at the swimming pool below. The Ultimate Liar approached him without a word, standing a few metres behind him, unsure what to say. Luckily, Fionn began speaking.

“What d’you remember about that tragic event? The one Nathan was on about.”

James shook his head, wracking his brains. “…Not a whole lot, to be honest. Apparently, there was some kind of political movement abroad that turned violent. It must’ve spread over here. There were serious riots, and things like that. I wish I could tell you more.”

Slowly, Fionn gave a nod. He still had his back turned towards James, but the Ultimate Liar could see the turmoil visible in his expression from the reflection on the windowpane.

“…He’s the only way I have of rememberin’ them, you know? My mam and dad.”

James recalled the rugby player mentioning how his parents had both died in a car crash. He was now living with his grandparents, and his younger brother.

“D’you have any brothers or sisters, James?”

“No. I don’t.”

“…When was the last time he saw me, I wonder? Or even the last time I saw _him_? I can’t believe that, with everythin’ that’s happened, I nearly forgot all about my only brother.”

“He wouldn’t blame you after everything you’ve been through-”

“He’s my fucking _brother_!” Fionn snapped, slamming a fist against the window. “And now, even if we do get out of this shithole of a school, I might not ever see him again!”

“Fionn…” James sighed. “I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but there’s no use in thinking that way. Ruán could still be out there.”

The taller boy’s eyes narrowed. “ _Could be_. That’s all. My own brother’s life is nothin’ more than a possibility.”

James reached a hand out, grabbing hold of Fionn’s shoulder. “Once you start acting like that, Ruán’s as good as gone. Remember what I told you before – to always keep hope alive?”

Finally, Fionn turned, shrugging out of James’ grip. His eyes were cold as they met the liar’s.

“I remember Jack Jones tellin’ me that. Not you.”

The force of the rugby player’s words struck James almost like a physical blow. He was still reeling when the taller boy shook his head, before striding past him, moving back down the corridor and out of sight.

James groaned, cursing himself. He should have known it wouldn’t be so easy for everyone to forgive him for what he had done. The Ultimate Rugby Star was obviously left anxious by what Nathan had told them all earlier. He hoped that Fionn would come around soon, or else their chances in the Final Trial would be slim.

 

***

 

Aisling sat down on the couch in the downstairs lounge, brushing a few strands of wet hair out of her face, having removed the towel.

“So, Nathan,” she began, “what did you want to talk to me about?”

Nathan braced himself. There was no easy or painless way to explain what had happened. How the hell was he supposed to begin?

“You…don’t remember anything from St. Elpis’, do you?”

The boxer shook her head. “Not at all. I remember walking into the school perfectly, and then…fuck all. Next thing I knew, Ryan was shaking me awake in here.”

“Well, I told you that I remember the last few days and weeks we spent in the school, right?”

“Yeah…?”

“Well, I…” He took a deep breath. “I saw John. John Culleton.”

Aisling gasped. “I knew it! He made it into St. Elpis’ after all!” She faltered. “Wait, don’t…don’t tell me he was one of _them_? Those Ultimate Despair freaks you were on about?”

“No, no. Never. He was one of the first people to strike back _against_ them. He defied them at every corner – he _hated_ them…until the end.”

Aisling raised a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide with fear. She didn’t say a thing.

“Ultimate Despair were the ones who got to him. They captured him, butchered him and strung up his body for everyone to see. It…” Nathan winced as he realised how callous his words had been. “I’m so sorry, Aisling. He died a hero, you know.”

For a long time, the Ultimate Boxer remained silent.

“…You’re absolutely certain it was him? Not some other fella with the same name?”

Nathan compelled himself to meet her trembling gaze. “It was him. You and me, we were there when he was found. The way you reacted when you saw his body…it had to have been him.”

Aisling slumped down into the couch like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

“I can’t believe it,” she whispered, her voice constricted by the lump in her throat. “All this time…I’ve been trying to get of here so I could see him again. I swore I’d find him. And now…” She sniffed. “To think, he was here and I didn’t even know it.”

“I’m sorry to have had to be the one to tell you,” Nathan began, only for her to cut him off.

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault. In fact…thank you. I would’ve found out eventually.” She swallowed deeply, her eyes fluttering shut. “But…I think I need to be alone for a little while. Alright?”

Unable to reply with words, Nathan gave her a solemn nod instead, before she pushed herself up off of the couch and walked away in the direction of the dormitories.

 

***

 

Fionn went back to his room and tried to process everything that he had just been told. The Ultimate Rugby Star was torn; he wanted to know the truth behind what had happened to the outside world, to his country, to his home. And yet, he dreaded the thought of learning too much – of potentially uncovering bad news about his family and friends.

An uncomfortable thought occurred to him. During Alex’s execution, when he had been trapped in that wicked bell jar, he’d found something in there with him. As far as Fionn could remember (and he really didn’t _want_ to recall the details of that particular event), Alex had picked up a book. What he’d read in that book had shocked him, broken his usual stoic demeanour, and made him scream in terror. The memory drifted to him, lying there on his bed, as Fionn wondered what it had been that the Ultimate Physicist had read. Had he been told something about the outside world? About his family, or his home? Fionn doubted that he’d ever know.

Fionn winced, as he almost always did when thoughts of Alex arose. Those wounds were still too raw for him to want to think about. He didn’t leave his room again that day.

Meanwhile, Aisling also spent most of the remainder of the day in her bedroom, numb with grief. In her heart, she had already feared the worst about John from the moment Nathan had told them all what had happened to the outside world. But the news of his death had still shocked her to the core. John Culleton had been her first proper boyfriend, who’d stuck by her through thick and thin. He was a joker and a messer, but when he promised something, he always meant it. That’s why she had been certain that he’d made it to St. Elpis’ – he had sworn as much to her before she left. Had they stayed together when they were in school? To hear Nathan tell it, she’d been distraught when his body had been found. Chances are, he had been her boyfriend all the way to the end.

Thoughts of Ryan kept cropping into her head, which certainly didn’t help matters. As it turned out, she hadn’t needed to feel guilty about wanting him after all. If she had known from the start what had happened to John, the two of them might have had time to get to know each other properly. Of course, that would have only made her feel worse once he had been murdered. Whoever the mastermind was, they were probably laughing at the irony of Aisling’s situation.

Above all, Aisling felt like a hypocrite. She’d always told people to try and stay positive, even when things seemed at their darkest. Even when those close to her had been stolen away, she’d always bounced back as soon as possible. But now, here she was, moping about her room. Useless.

But she couldn’t bring herself to move, to leave the room and find one of her few remaining companions. And so she lay still on her bed, facing the ceiling, and wishing it would all go away.

Neither the Ultimate Rugby Star nor the Ultimate Boxer slept very much that night.


	44. Chapter 0: Mnemosyne - Part 5

“You son of a bitch!” Seán snarled, pointing the gun directly at James’s head. “How dare you show your fuckin’ face around us again?!”

The Ultimate Liar raised his hands in surrender, a twinge of fear plain in his expression. “Gleeson, wait! Please, just hear me out.”

“You think any of us want to hear a fuckin’ thing you have to say?!” the GAA head roared. “After what you did?! You _caused_ all of this! It’s your fault we’re in this mess!”

James gritted his teeth, a look of pain crossing his face. “I…I didn’t want this to happen. But I can still make amends, if you just…”

He was cut off by a bark of hysterical laughter.

“Unbelievable!” Seán exclaimed. “Un- _fuckin’_ -believable! D’you know how many people are dead now because of what you’ve done, how many of our friends are gone?! Those were people who _trusted_ you!”

“I wanted to save them!” James protested.

“That’s bullshit! You only wanted to save your own fuckin’ skin, as usual!”

“I didn’t have a choice!” James shouted, his eyes brimming with tears. “If I didn’t join them, they would have killed us all! At least, by betraying you, I managed to keep _some_ people alive!”

“So, that’s how you’re justifying what you’ve done?” Niamh asked, her voice filled with barely-suppressed fury. “It was all for the ‘greater good’?”

Seán’s finger tightened on the trigger. “You’re goin’ to have to do better than _that_ , you bastard!”

“Gleeson, wait,” Nathan said, holding a hand out in a gesture of appeasement. “Let’s hear what he has to say.”

Seán gave the Ultimate Lucky Student an exasperated look. “Come _on_ , Murph! Don’t tell me you’re fallin’ for this shite again?!”

“I know James,” Nathan said. “I know what he’s like. And right now, he’s being totally honest.” Nathan glared at the boy he once called his friend. “Talk. And if any of us even _think_ that you’re lying to us, Seán will pull that trigger. So, for once in your life, don’t try to fuck with us.”

James sighed with relief. “Thanks, Nathan. I’m really grateful-”

“Get on with it.”

The Ultimate Liar flinched. “R-right. I…I didn’t want to betray you. But, when Ultimate Despair started knocking on my door, I knew it wouldn’t be long before it started. Especially since…”

“Since _what_?” Nathan demanded.

James met his eye. “You know who their leader is. You know why I couldn’t refuse.”

Slowly, Nathan gave a begrudging nod. “…Yeah, alright.”

“I suppose I’ve always been a member, in a way. My whole life, since I first came to St. Elpis’, I’ve been involved with them. Although, at first, they weren’t calling themselves ‘Ultimate Despair’. I thought things were safe enough back then. I was told to try and recruit more members. Me and some of the others went around…”

“Seducing people?” Niamh prompted.

“So, _that’s_ when all those rumours about you cheating on Gráinne started,” Nathan commented.

James shook his head rapidly. “I didn’t, I swear! I would never!” He hesitated. “The others, though…”

“Barry Cash tried to ‘recruit’ me,” Niamh said bitterly. “He said I’d be an important addition to the group.”

“Same, here,” Seán grumbled. “He was a persistent little cunt.”

“They’d all do whatever it takes to increase their numbers, as you well know,” James went on. “But things got worse, and quickly. I was originally loyal to the group, it’s true. But…spending time with everyone in Class 11…”

Seán tutted. “Don’t give us that rubbish!”

“It’s true, I swear!” James’s eyes flickered nervously from one student to another. “I mean, _yes_ , at the start, I was ordered to spy on you.”

“We know that,” Nathan snapped. “And, when the time came, you were supposed to betray us.”

“Which you did,” Niamh pointed out.

“Because I wanted to _save_ you!” James cried. “I was the only one in Ultimate Despair that hadn’t given up hope. If I could take out the group from the inside, I’d be able to help much more than if I’d stayed loyal to you.”

Nathan smiled a humourless smile. “But, you’ve run into a problem, haven’t you? The same problem you’ve always had: nobody trusts you.”

James nodded sombrely. “That’s right. As usual, my reputation leads to my downfall.”

Seán sneered. “Who would’ve thought that the Ultimate Liar would be a traitorous scumbag? I’ve had enough of this.”

“Get to the point, James,” Nathan said, his voice laced with steel.

“I realise now that there’s no way I could have taken down Ultimate Despair alone, even from within. That’s why I’m here now, when you’re beginning your final assault.”

“You want to help us.”

“That’s right,” he nodded. “I know you probably still don’t trust me. But, I have to tell you, there’s a trap waiting for you on the next floor up.”

“We’d guessed that,” the Ultimate Model told him.

“D’you have anything _useful_ to tell us?” Seán said with a glare.

“Yes. It’s going to be sprung right outside their centre of operations: the computer room.”

“Is that the truth?” Nathan asked.

James smiled sadly. “Would you even believe me if I said ‘yes’?”

“…”

“Well,” Seán grunted, “I don’t think we’re going to get anythin’ else out of him.”

He levelled the gun at the Ultimate Liar, and his finger slipped over to the trigger.

“Wait!” Niamh hissed. “He might still be useful. We should take him with us.”

Nathan nodded. “I agree. He’s scum, but he’s too valuable to be let go.”

James didn’t say anything, but his gaze dropped to the floor in shame.

Seán took a deep, calming breath. “Fine,” he said eventually. “But, if he tries _anythin_ ’, I’m not goin’ to give him a chance to run. This gun will be pointin’ at your scrawny arse all the way up to the computer room, understand?”

James swallowed, before giving a single nod.

“Then, let’s go,” Nathan said.

They continued their journey down the corridor, finally reaching the staircase that led up to the fourth and final floor.

The Ultimate GAA Head gave the liar a nudge with the barrel of his gun. “You first, Banville.”

And so they followed James up the stairs, never taking their eyes away from him. Because of that, they all missed the steel shutters atop the staircase that slammed down behind them as they reached the landing, blocking the way back down.

Nathan whirled. “What the hell?!”

“You motherfucker!” Seán scowled, gripping his weapon tightly. “You fuckin’ set us up again!”

But James had an expression of sheer panic written on his face. “No, please! I swear I didn’t-”

But, already, the corridor was being filled with a foul-smelling, green gas that drifted out from a set of nozzles that had been implanted on the walls. Nathan covered his mouth and nose, but he realised when he legs turned to jelly that he had already inhaled too much of the gas. He toppled over, falling onto the floor, hearing the heavy thuds as his companions did the same.

His eyes drifted shut, and the blackness consumed him.


	45. Chapter 6: The Sickness unto Death - Part 4

_Laethanta Mínormálta?_  -  Abnormal Days?

Monobear’s usual morning announcement called Nathan out of his dream world, away from his painful memories. Any attempt to process the visions he had just seen were thwarted when he remembered the importance of the day at hand: the twenty-third day of the mutual killing game and, for better or worse, the last they would spend in St. Elpis’ College. According to the so-called ‘principal’, the Final Trial would be held at three o’clock. That gave them roughly six or seven hours, once breakfast had been eaten, to prepare. Nathan decided to get ready early; it wouldn’t do to relax in his bed on this particular morning.

The Ultimate Lucky Student walked into the refectory just after 7:20, to see James, Fionn and Aisling already sitting at the table, eating their meal. They greeted Nathan as he poured himself his usual bowl of cereal. Already, Nathan had a bad feeling; both Fionn and Aisling were almost entirely silent as they ate. Only James was actually trying to engage in conversation.

“Just think,” he said, injecting excitement into his voice, “in less than twelve hours, we’ll be out of this place for good. No more mutual killing game.”

Aisling gave a solemn nod, and her lips curled upwards in something that could have been either a smile or a grimace. Fionn grunted, but didn’t look up from his bowl of porridge.

This wasn’t a good sign. Monobear, Nathan knew, wouldn’t hold anything back during the final trial. He’d give his all in trying to win them over to the side of despair. As things stood now, he doubted that they’d be able to stand against the mastermind’s final assault.

At around twenty-five minutes past the hour, Niamh entered the refectory, to a handful of “good morning”s. Compared to the boxer and rugby star, the Ultimate Model was a beacon of good cheer as she swanned over to the table.

James, too, had noticed. “Sleep well, did you?”

Niamh shook her head. “Not really, no. But, while I was lying awake, I realised something. We’ve come too far to let the mastermind stop us now. That’s why, for the sake of everyone we lost, we’re going to win this trial.”

Even Fionn and Aisling had lifted their heads at the model’s words.

James smiled. “Yeah, exactly. There’s no question of us losing.”

Nathan shrugged. “I hope youse are right. So, when do we start this investigation, exactly?”

“Monobear said that he’s leave the information we’ll need around the building overnight, didn’t he?” James said.

“I spotted a file lying on the couch in the lounge,” Niamh told them. “I’m sure that one of the pieces of ‘evidence’ we’ll need.”

“But how are we going to find them all?” Aisling wondered aloud. “They could be hidden away _anywhere_.”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake!”

The students all collectively jumped, with Fionn and Nathan even letting out curses, as Monobear appeared on top of the dining table.

“Do I have to spell _everything_ out for you idiots?!” the bear hollered. “ _Yes_ , I’ve placed them all around the school, but they won’t be all that hard to find! After all, it wouldn’t be like me to overestimate you losers’ intelligence! In fact…”

Clutched between the claws of Monobear’s right hand was what looked like a bound folder. He casually tossed it down onto the surface of the table beneath his feet.

“Here! I’m basically _giving_ this one to you for free! You dumbasses better be grateful! Upupu!”

James frowned at the chuckling bear. “Why are you helping us? Don’t you want us to lose?”

“The hell kind of a question is that? Of _course_ I want you all to lose!”

“Then why are you handing us the evidence we need on a silver platter?” Niamh accused.

Monobear snickered, a paw covering up his mouth. “Well, isn’t it a lot more fun if you guys finally know the full story behind everything that happened? So much more…despair-inducing! Upupupu!

“Oh, and before I forget, I should probably tell you that the entire school has been opened up for this investigation. Everywhere that was closed off before is no longer out-of-bounds. With a few exceptions! So long!”

With a wave farewell, Monobear disappeared once more.

Nathan met the Ultimate Liar’s eye. “James, you know what this means, right?”

He nodded. “The office on the third floor. We can finally go in.”

The Ultimate Rugby Star finally cracked a smile. “About time. Should we head up there now?”

Niamh shook her head. “Not yet. We’ll need to examine this entire school from top to bottom, including all the areas we’ve never been to before.”

“That could take a while,” Nathan said, with a grimace. “Can we really cover that much ground in a few hours?” He paused. “Unless we _Scooby-Doo_ it?”

James tilted his head. “You mean, we could split up? Some of us could take the top floors and the rest the bottom floors?”

Niamh nodded. “Yeah, that seems like a good idea. Nathan and James, you two can investigate the second, third and fourth floors. Myself, Fionn and Aisling can take care of everywhere else.”

“Alright. Now that that’s settled…” Nathan reached over and grabbed the folder that Monobear had left on the table. “Maybe we should have a look at this?”

The four of them gathered around the Ultimate Lucky Student as he opened up the heavy bindings and lay the folder’s interior bare for them all to see. They were surprised to see the face of Deirdre Callaghan, the Ultimate Soprano, staring back at them from the cover of the first page. Her name and her title were proclaimed atop the page, just above her portrait, while the remainder of the page was taken up by a multitude of facts and figures that meant little to most of the students; phrases such as ‘Spatial Awareness’ and ‘Information Processing’, along with various numbers ranging from 1 to 100.

“What the hell is this?” Fionn muttered, a deep frown etched onto his face.

“It seems to be some kind of psychological profile,” Niamh said.

Nathan turned the page, only to find even more facts and figures about the soprano, spread out across a series of laminated sheets of paper. Things such as Deirdre’s performance in school, which classes she took, her exam results, an assessment of her Ultimate talent, and finally an overall psychological evaluation. Nathan scanned the words, noticing how certain terms cropped up more often than others. ‘Narcissism’, in particular, seemed to be a popular term to describe the Ultimate Soprano.

Already knowing what the rest of the folder was going to contain, Nathan turned the page to find Niamh Clarke’s profile.

Nathan glanced over his shoulder at the model. “Are you okay with us reading this? We can skip it if you want.”

But the model shook her head. “No, this could be important. We shouldn’t exclude anyone, dead or alive.”

When the other three students all gave affirming nods, Nathan brought his attention back to the folder. Niamh, too, had received a psychological profile, although the words still meant nothing to the Ultimate Lucky Student. Her exam results were impressive, to say the least, scoring highest in Maths and Languages. Nathan skimmed her final evaluation, not wanting to pry, although he saw the words and ‘evidence of social anxiety’. Much of the article seemed to be about her coming to terms with her being identified as the Ultimate Model, and the dissonance between her title and her true personality.

Immediately following Niamh’s profile was Alex Coleman’s, and Nathan felt both Niamh and Fionn tense beside him when the physicist’s portrait was revealed. Naturally, Alex had achieved high marks in every subject except for Physical Education, in which he had seemingly barely scraped a pass mark. His talent was much appreciated, and the author seemed to believe that he had a bright future ahead of him as a leading figure in the field of science. Meanwhile, the person evaluating him hadn’t failed to mention his issues with anger management, or his subsequent difficulty in expressing his emotions in a healthy manner.

Next on the list was Aidan Collins, whose exams results were a lot less impressive than those who had come before. Still, he hadn’t failed any subjects, and his Physical Education results were the exact opposite of the Ultimate Physicist’s. The evaluation made reference to the surfer’s rocky relationship with his parents, and the words ‘inferiority complex’ made one or two appearances.

Seán Gleeson was next, and his exam results were largely the same as Aidan’s, albeit with higher marks in language-related subjects. The Ultimate GAA Head’s evaluation was longer than any of the previous ones, and it talked about his dedication to his field in relation to his abusive upbringing. His personality was described as being ‘abrasive’ and ‘unfriendly’, and mention was made of Seán’s violent tendencies. Nathan was still stunned by how the person he had met in the mastermind’s game and the person described in this profile could be the same as his companion from his memories of St. Elpis’. Perhaps the horrors they had all suffered through had changed him? Well, none of it mattered now.

Fionn Healey’s profile was next, and Nathan still felt reluctant to read it with the Ultimate Rugby Star present. He had a quick glance at the exam results (average, except for Art and Physical Education, in which he achieved high marks), and the psychological evaluation, which described the difficulty Fionn had with coming to terms with his sexuality. Apparently, despite how highly he thought of them both, Fionn’s grandparents were very conservative on the matter of homosexuality, resulting in a difficult home life in his later years. Furthermore, Fionn spent so much time training away from his home that he grew somewhat distant from his brother, Ruán. It made for a difficult read, and so Nathan pressed on.

Ryan Jackson’s profile was also quite lengthy, although his exam results were slightly above average in everything except for English (which were outstanding). In the Ultimate Dancer’s evaluation, it was detailed how his personal insecurities and troubles at home resulted in him rebelling. He was also apparently bullied in school, due to his ‘unusual’ interests and hobbies. The article theorised that Ryan’s promiscuity and outgoing persona resulted from his desire to have the validation his father and his many of his peers never gave him.

The largest section of the folder belonged to James Banville. His exam results were impressive, but the meat of the profile was taken up by his psychological evaluation, which detailed everything that James had told Nathan the day beforehand; the absence of his father; his mother’s neglect; his inability to fit in amongst his peers and how often his developing life and identity were uprooted by his being forced to move homes. The phrase, ‘compulsive liar’, naturally made several appearances.

Nathan’s chest ached when he saw Ciara Maguire’s face. He forced himself to read her profile, noticing that her exam results were generally average, except for Music and English. Her evaluation made reference to the loss of her mother at a young age, and the strong, positive relationship she’d had with her father. It also talked about how her love for music aided her social and cognitive development, but Nathan didn’t particularly care about that. It was difficult to see her, and all of the others, reduced to being statistics in a bound folder.

He moved on to Gráinne Mahon, the Ultimate Prefect, whose exam results were mostly excellent, although Nathan noticed how she had received much lower marks in Maths and science-related subjects than in anything else. Gráinne seemed to be one of the only people in the folder who didn’t have some sort of complex; according to her profile, she had a well-adjusted home life, loving parents and a successful career ahead of her as a politician. Which made it all the more disappointing that she had been murdered so callously, before any of the students really had a chance to get to know her.

Orlagh McNamara’s section of the folder was nearly as thick as James’. Her exam results were nothing to sniff at, and of course she had gotten top marks in Irish. What was more, by all accounts, her home life had been entirely ordinary. But her evaluation featured the term ‘schizophrenic tendencies’ repeatedly, and contained details of her erratic behaviour. Nathan felt sorry for the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir; she’d been sick, and none of them had tried to help her. If anything, they’d only shut her out. Because of their actions, she had died friendless and alone.

After Orlagh’s profile came his own. He saw himself staring out from the page, dressed in his St. Elpis’ uniform. He felt the urge to skip his section of the folder entirely, due to sheer embarrassment. But he fought that desire out of respect for his friends; it wouldn’t be fair on any of them. So they all saw his exam results, which were average at best, and they even had a good look at his personal evaluation. Phrases such as ‘inferiority complex’ and ‘crippling lack of self-esteem’ jumped out at him, and he tried desperately not to cringe. But most disappointing of all was his talent assessment. Every other student thus far had had their talents appreciated – even James, who had been recommended to pursue a career in _espionage_ , of all things! But the only thing that had been written in the space for Nathan’s assessment was a comment about how tests and experiments were unable to explain his incredibly bad luck. Nothing had been said about career opportunities, or how his talent could be used to better the future of the nation…nothing like that. Dejected, Nathan turned the page.

Ellie O’Donaghue’s profile was next. The Ultimate Farmer’s exam results were similar to Nathan’s, although she had managed to do worse in her chosen language subjects than he did. The author had little to say about her psychological profile, save that having a liberal mindset while growing up in a conservative environment had created some tension between her and her family.

The next profile belonged to Michael Reynolds – the Ultimate Vet, who had also been the mastermind’s spy in their group. As expected of a medical professional, Michael’s exam results were impressive across the board, save for a lower mark in Art. The psychological evaluation noted the vet’s rather naive nature, as well as bringing up records taken from his previous therapist. ‘Emotionally fragile’ was the phrase they had used to describe him; James recalled a time when Michael had admitted as much to him. It was surprising that Michael had held out under the mastermind’s iron grip for as long as he did.

The penultimate profile was Louise Smythe’s, and Nathan saw that her exam results were surprisingly low in everything except for English and Languages. On top of that, her evaluation mentioned ‘neurosis’ and other, similar terms.

The final profile belonged to Aisling Taggart. Her exam results were good, particularly in Physical Education, Irish and Art. Her evaluation detailed the pressure the boxer had experienced in living with her many brothers, all of whom were exceptionally talented in their own, respective fields. In fact, it seemed that Aisling’s brothers had had a significant effect on her personality and upbringing, which was probably unsurprising.

With a heavy sigh, Nathan closed the folder and sat back in his chair, blinking his eyes rapidly.

“So…what was the point of all that?” Aisling asked. She gestured towards the folder. “Is all of _this_ really going to help us in the trial?”

“It’d be typical for Monobear to give us somethin’ useless,” Fionn grumbled.

But Niamh said, “I wouldn’t disregard this folder as being ‘useless’ just yet. We’ve only just started the investigation, after all.”

James stood up straight and stretched. “Then we’d better get a move on. Nathan, come on.”

Nathan nodded, pushing his chair back and getting to his feet. With a quick “See youse later,” Nathan followed James out of the refectory.


	46. Chapter 6: The Sickness unto Death - Part 5

_Laethanta Mínormálta?_  -  Abnormal Days?

Fionn, Aisling and Niamh deemed the folder too bulky and heavy to carry around the school with them, and so they left it behind them on the dining table. Upon exiting the refectory, the three of them immediately noticed the file Niamh had mentioned earlier, lying on one of the couches. The rugby star crossed the room and picked up the file, opened it and examined its contents. Inside the file was a single page.

“I don’t believe it,” he said.

Aisling appeared at his side, trying to peer over his shoulder. “What’s it say?”

He showed her. It was a list of sixteen names, all of them familiar to them both. And each name had a specific title associated with it. Aisling caught sight of her own name and title at the very bottom of the page.

“It’s just a bloody list of everyone who was here,” Fionn groaned.

“Ugh.” Aisling slumped backwards into an armchair. “Monobear must be taking the piss if he thinks this is going to help us at all!”

But Niamh had joined them now, and was scrutinising the single page within the file. “Maybe not. Look at the top of the page.”

Fionn followed where the model was directing him. “What? Why? All it says is ‘Class 11: First Year Class of 2010/2011’.”

“I have a feeling we’ll find another list just like this one,” Niamh said. “Only it’ll be a list of students from another class.”

Aisling raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think that?”

“Our class number wouldn’t have been specified here unless the mastermind wanted us to be aware of it. That implies that there are other class lists around.”

Fionn shrugged. “If you say so. At this stage, I probably trust you more than I trust myself.”

Niamh blinked, surprised at the Ultimate Rugby Star’s honesty. “R-Right. Thanks.”

Not finding anything else lying around the room, the trio moved away from the lounge and down the corridor that led them to the foyer, taking the class list with them. Right in the centre of the entrance hall’s floor was another file that looked almost identical to previous one. This time, Aisling was the one who picked it up. She flicked open the cover and examined the file’s contents.

“You were right, Niamh,” she said, before handing the file to the model. “It’s a list of another class that was here in St. Elpis’.”

Niamh took the file and scanned the page inside.

 

_Class 10: First Year Class of 2009/2010_

_Ultimate Computer Engineer – Maria Buckley_ **絶望**

_Ultimate Water Polo Champ – Paul Carrig_

_Ultimate Chess Master – Finbar Chang_

_Ultimate Soccer Player – Christopher Coffey_

_Ultimate Calligrapher – Natalie Hartigan_

_Ultimate Botanist – Julie Kane_

_Ultimate Lyricist – Niall Kavanagh_

_Ultimate Surgeon –_ _Fryderyk_ _Krόl_ **絶望**

 _Ultimate Horror Author – Stephanie Landy_ **絶望**

 _Ultimate DJ – Conor McCleane_ **絶望**

_Ultimate Tea Fanatic – Catherine Mullally_

_Ultimate Graffiti Artist – Jane O’Donnell_ **絶望**

_Ultimate Thereminist – Elaine Scully_

_Ultimate Sprinter – Rick O’Sullivan_

_Ultimate Handball Enthusiast – Patrick Riordan_

_Ultimate Cyclist – Margaret Taylor_

 

None of the names held any particular meaning for Niamh, but Aisling said, “I met Rick O’Sullivan once. D’you see his name? He was the Ultimate Sprinter. He got into St. Elpis’ last…well, I suppose it was actually a few years ago by now.”

Fionn had also had a look at the file with Niamh. “And I went to school with that Patrick Riordan lad. He was from Ballinasloe, same as me. I’m fairly sure we were even scouted by the same person before we were invited here.”

“‘First Year Class of 2009’,” Niamh read aloud, thinking on the words. “They would have been in their final year at St. Elpis’ College.”

“But what’s the point of all this?” Fionn asked. “How is knowing who was in the year above us in school going to help us right now?”

But Aisling and Niamh were still studying the paper before them.

“What d’you think those symbols mean?” the boxer asked.

Niamh, too, had spotted them; there were unusual characters that had been written in bold next to some of the names on the list. In fact she remembered seeing the same symbols next to James’ name on the previous list.

Fionn leaned in to see what the two girls had been staring at. “Is that Chinese or something?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, Fionn,” Niamh said, before closing the file and stacking it with the one from the lounge. “We won’t figure it out just by standing around. We should keep moving.”

And so, on they went, following the corridor out of the foyer. There was a lot of ground for the three of them to cover on the bottom floor, and most of the rooms they came across held nothing new of interest. As such, it was a while before any of them found any more evidence; not until Aisling noticed that the warehouse, which had been kept locked for so long, had finally been opened.

The three of them crept into the warehouse, still wary of Monobear suddenly appearing and chasing them out. They marvelled at just how huge the interior of the place was; rows upon rows of shelves stretched off into the gloom.

“The hell was Monobear planning on doing with all this shite?” Fionn pondered.

“It might not have been Monobear,” Niamh pointed out to him. “After all, it was apparently the staff of St. Elpis’ who organised the lock-in.”

Aisling cringed as the implications of Niamh’s words, coupled with the sheer scale of the warehouse, hit her. “They must’ve been planning to keep us in here for a long time. A _very_ long time.”

“And we were really alright with that?” Fionn shook his head. “It’s fucked-up, that’s what it is.”

They didn’t have far to go before they came across yet another file, lying in the aisle between two towering blocks of shelves. Niamh strode forward and picked up the file herself, and the others gathered around her in order to read what they already knew would be another class list.

 

_Class 12: First Year Class of 2011/2012_

_Ultimate Bouncer – Tadhg Bolger_ **絶望**

 _Ultimate Magician – Barry Cash_ **絶望**

 _Ultimate Technician – Shauna Cash_ **絶望**

 _Ultimate Delinquent – Éamon Clancy_ **絶望**

_Ultimate Comedian – John Culleton_

_Ultimate Missionary – Laura Day_

_Ultimate Debater – Matthew Doyle_ **絶望**

_Ultimate Lucky Student – Ailbhe Gormley_

_Ultimate Mountaineer – Aoife Mahony_

_Ultimate Countertenor – Robert Malone_

_Ultimate Undertaker – Damian Moriarty_ **絶望**

_Ultimate Sniper – Anna Nolan_ **絶望**

_Ultimate Nanoscientist – Sarah-Jane O’Connor_

_Ultimate Television Personality – Bláithín O’Shea_ **絶望**

 _Ultimate Garda – Mary White_ **絶望**

 _Ultimate Philosopher – Carl Yeats_ **絶望**

 

“Those symbol things again,” Fionn muttered. “And there’re more of them, too.”

He turned to glance at the Ultimate Boxer, wondering what she made of all this, only to hesitate when he saw her expression. Her lip looked like it was trembling.

“Curious,” Niamh murmured, oblivious to the boxer’s distress. “But what purpose do these characters serve?”

“…Niamh.”

The Ultimate Model’s gaze rose at Fionn’s quiet warning, only to see the distress written on Aisling’s face. Niamh’s eyes followed hers, down to the page. Aisling’s stare was fixed on a single name, written on the page.

“‘John Culleton’,” Niamh said, mentally joining the dots. “He…he’s your boyfriend, isn’t he?”

“He _was_ ,” Aisling corrected her. “He’s dead now. Nathan told me he died while fighting against Ultimate Despair, after they took over the school.”

Wordlessly, Fionn pulled the boxer into an embrace, grabbing Niamh as he did. Soon, the three of them were holding each other in a sort of group hug, not wanting to let go.

“I’m sorry,” Niamh whispered, her voice slightly muffled by having her face pressed up against the side of Fionn’s chest. “I didn’t realise.”

“You couldn’t have known,” Aisling croaked, fighting the lump in her throat. “None of us can remember what happened back then. Except for Nathan and James.”

Gently, Fionn pulled away from them both. “We’ll end this. For him and for everyone else that died here.”

Aisling began to slowly recover, and she took a step backwards. She took a deep breath, held it, and then exhaled.

“I’m alright,” she whispered. “We should get out of here. It’s really dark and creepy.”

Even Niamh cracked a smile. “Yes, let’s go.”

On their way back to the foyer, and the stairwell, they passed by a door that Aisling and Fionn remembered all too well. The Ultimate Rugby Star, still trying to cheer her up, gave Aisling a nudge as they approached it.

“How long did you spend trying to get that door open the first day we were here?” he asked her.

She smiled. “God, it must’ve been half an hour or more.”

Niamh stopped in her tracks. “Wait a moment. Where does that door lead?”

“Some kind of office, as far as I know,” Fionn told her, glancing curiously at the door. “We never actually went in. It’s been locked from the very start.”

“I wonder…”

The model approached the door, reaching for the handle, before giving it a gentle turn. The door clicked, and Niamh pushed it open.

Fionn made a quiet sound of surprise and exasperation. “And we were just goin’ to walk past this place!”

The three of them entered the room, which turned out to indeed be an office. There was a series of professional-looking desks, complete with swivel chairs, around the room. The carpeted floor was pristine, with not a mote of dust to be seen. The walls were fixed with a handful of calendars and clocks, whose steady ticking filled the otherwise silent room. Although there were plenty of filing cabinets around, what they were looking for had been placed right in the centre of the surface of one of the desks, in plain sight. It was a single sheet of paper, not even kept in a file or folder.

Fionn moved first, striding over to the desk and snatching up the paper. The two girls saw his eyes whizzing back and forth as he took in the details.

“…Well?” Aisling prompted.

“It’s some kind of letter,” the rugby player said eventually. “Says it’s addressed to ‘Professor Padraig O’Callaghan of St. Elpis’ College’.”

Niamh’s eyes widened in recognition of the name. “That’s the name of principal!”

Aisling nodded quickly. “Yeah, I remember! It was on the letter they sent when they invited us here.”

“What does the letter say?”

Fionn grimaced as he looked over the words before him. “That’s the thing – I don’t understand half of what this is saying. Whoever wrote this letter keeps mentioning an ‘incident’, but doesn’t say anything _about_ the incident. Says that the principal – Professor O’Callaghan, I mean – he shouldn’t have even heard of the incident. Then they try to deny that the incident even happened in the first place. And that O’Callaghan should ‘desist in this line of investigation’.” Fionn smiled wryly. “I think they’re trying to tell him not to poke his nose into their business, only in a nicer way.”

“Does it say who sent the letter?” Niamh asked.

Fionn eyed the name at the bottom of the page. “It’s says they’re the headmaster of a school in Japan called ‘Hope’s Peak Academy’. Someone named…” He struggled to pronounce the foreign name. “Jin _Kirree-jirree_?”

“Never heard of him,” Aisling muttered immediately.

But Niamh was less dismissive of what Fionn had read out. “Hope’s Peak Academy…I think that’s the name of the school that St. Elpis’ was based on.”

Fionn raised an eyebrow as he looked up from the letter. “You serious? I didn’t know about that.”

The model nodded. “I’m nearly certain. They say there’s a school in Japan that only accepts extremely talented youths as students. Each student, apparently, is considered the best of the best in their respective field.”

“That _does_ sound a lot like St. Elpis’,” he admitted.

“But aren’t there places like that all around the world?” Aisling pointed out. “Like Pandora Institute, over in the UK. I’m fairly sure there’s one in America, too.”

Niamh said, “That’s true. But, from what I can tell, Hope’s Peak Academy was the first of its kind. Most, if not all, of the other institutions are only imitating the school in Japan.”

Fionn turned his attention back to the letter. “Well, if Hope’s Peak is as important as _that_ , whatever this Jin fella is on about must be fairly important. Otherwise, why would he write a letter to some school in a little country like Ireland?”

“You might be right, Fionn.” Niamh glanced at their surroundings. “Either way, we’d better keep going with our investigation. It doesn’t look like there’s anything left for us in here.”

The Ultimate Model led the way out of the office, followed by her two friends, as they made for the stairwell that would take them to the next floor.

 

***

 

James and Nathan arrived on the second floor a few minutes after leaving the refectory, and set to work. Their first destination was the physics lab, where they found a set of what looked like blueprints. Here and there on the paper were characters that the two boys recognised as being Japanese. As James glanced at the different sheets, he thought he saw something familiar in the design of the building depicted.

“Doesn’t this look a lot like St. Elpis’ to you?” he asked Nathan.

Nathan frowned as he took in the details of the blueprint. “I suppose it does. But the layout is different. The classrooms are all in different places. And the swimming pool isn’t on the ground floor.”

“It could be an unused design for the school,” James said, thinking aloud. “Although the fact that there are Japanese characters all over it makes me think that this is actually Hope’s Peak Academy.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s the school in Japan that St. Elpis’ College was modelled after.” James rolled up the blueprints and stashed them away in his back pocket. “And I have a feeling these might’ve been the blueprints that they used to design this place.”

“But why is Monobear showing us these _now_?” Nathan wondered as they left the lab. “What’s Hope’s Peak got to do with what’s happened to us?”

James shook his head. “I don’t know. But I have a feeling that we’ll find out soon enough.”

Just a short distance away from the physics lab was the art room, where James’ hunch proved to be correct. They found a plastic folder had been placed on one of the desks. Nathan picked up the folder and took out the sheets of paper that were inside. Although there were only a few pages, they had been covered with writing, typed out in the style of a news report. He read.

 

_In an effort to increase their annual income, the staff of Hope’s Peak Academy opened up their once-exclusive institution to any who could afford the tuition fees. These new ‘reserve course students’, due to lacking the talent that so defined the typical Hope’s Peak student, found themselves on the bottom rung of the school’s hierarchy. Discrimination and the discouragement of positive interaction between the main and reserve course students led to extreme dissatisfaction amongst the reserve course. As such, these ‘second-class’ students were the first to rebel when presented with the truth behind the Tragedy of Hope’s Peak, as organised by Ultimate Despair. The extreme social unrest soon spread outside the academy walls, affecting much of the Japanese youth. The Internet, in particular, was a strong catalyst for the growing revolutionary movement. Soon, the rebellion came to include people of various races, age groups and nationalities in its development, and it spread into real life._

_At the beginning of the movement, demonstrations regarding social issues were prominent. But as it spread through the world, this so-called revolution’s abnormality began to show. At some point in time, the methods and motives of the movement changed, and left behind only meaningless destruction and violence. Soon, the death and devastation caused by the rebellion became so widespread and regular as to become commonplace. The media reports overflowed with death, and the people who watched began to grow desensitised. By the time the world had noticed the change, it was already too late; the overpowering ‘despair’ had conquered the world itself. Soon, acts of terrorism and coup d'etats sprang up, causing war after war._

_Less than eighteen months have passed since the incident at Hope’s Peak, and already the majority of the world has succumbed to absolute despair. Countries that had been otherwise cut-off from the Tragedy have since been infiltrated by Ultimate Despair, the very same organisation that caused the entire affair. Indeed, as long as Ultimate Despair exists, this despair will not end._

_That is how the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history occurred._

 

Even after Nathan’s eyes had taken in all the information the pages had to offer, his brain refused to compute it. It took another reread or two of the facts to process what he had learned. So this was the truth behind the incident that had caused everything; it had all begun in Hope’s Peak Academy. _That_ was the reason why they were trapped in this horrible situation. And all it had taken was the entire collapse of society, apparently.

James, too, had been left stunned by the folder’s contents. “So…this is what really happened. The reason why Ultimate Despair was able to take over St. Elpis’ is because they’d already taken over the _world_.” He shook his head, making a quiet noise of disbelief. “‘The biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history’, they called it. Who would’ve thought it would lead to something like this?”

Nathan wanted to laugh, to say it was all nonsense that somebody had dreamed up – somebody like Monobear, probably. But the Ultimate Lucky Student remembered the horror of living in St. Elpis’ during those final days, utterly surrounded by despair. He had witnessed the collapse of society as described in the folder practically firsthand. He knew the Tragedy was real.

“But I don’t understand,” Nathan eventually said. “There’s a bit in this article that mentions ‘the truth behind the Tragedy of Hope’s Peak’. When these reserve course students found out about it, it set off this whole chain of events. But it doesn’t tell us what _that_ Tragedy was.”

James didn’t have any suggestions as to what the Tragedy of Hope’s Peak might’ve been. Still reeling from the information they had just discovered, the two boys left the art room. For old times’ sake, they had a quick search through the classrooms, although they found nothing new of interest within them. And so, the two of them set off for the next floor.

The first thing James wanted to do upon reaching the third floor was go to the Principal’s Office – the very same office that he had almost gotten punished for trying to break into. But Nathan made sure that they checked every room between the stairwell and said office. Most of these rooms had been left unchanged, but they found another file in the chemistry lab. Fortunately, the laboratory floor had been cleaned since their last visit, and the deadly poison that had been spilled there was now gone, meaning they weren’t in any danger as they investigated the new piece of ‘evidence’ they had discovered. This time, James picked up the file and flicked it open, with Nathan standing by him, and together they read.

 

_Once despair had set in, and Hope’s Peak Academy had been converted into a shelter for its surviving students, Ultimate Despair set their plan into motion. Their leader, titled the ‘Queen of Despair’, murdered headmaster Jin Kirigiri and initiated a hostile takeover of the school. The fourteen remaining students, now trapped inside Hope’s Peak, were captured by the Queen and her accomplices in Ultimate Despair. Their memories were erased, and they were forced to take part in a ‘mutual killing game’, overseen by the Queen herself. The game was broadcast all over Japan, with the intention of spreading despair to the masses. Unfortunately for the Queen, several students survived the mutual killing game, and were allowed to escape the academy unscathed. With the power of hope at their side, Makoto Naegi, Kyoko Kirigiri, Yasuhiro Hagakure, Aoi Asahina, Byakuya Togami and Toko Fukawa were able to triumph over Ultimate Despair. So consumed was she by her despair at her own failure, the Queen allowed herself to die at the hands of her own machines._

_That is the story of the Second Mutual Killing Game, and how Junko Enoshima, Queen of Despair, met her end._

 

Most of the names in the document were entirely meaningless to both James and Nathan. Only the name featured in the last line on the page leapt out at them.

“At last,” James breathed. “We’ve found it: ‘Enoshima’.”

“So _that’s_ the meaning behind those symbols we’ve been seeing everywhere!” Nathan exclaimed. “No wonder it meant so much to Ultimate Despair; it’s the name of their leader!”

“But she died,” James pointed out, his attention returning to the article he held in his hands. “When these students beat her at her own game, she apparently killed herself out of despair.” A snarl twisted James’ lips. “And if she was the leader of Ultimate Despair, that makes her responsible for causing the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history, as well.”

Nathan’s elation faded as he considered his friend’s words. “So this Enoshima person is the cause of all this.” He paused to consider the other sections of the document. “But, you know, looking at this ‘mutual killing game’ that’s mentioned here…it sounds a lot like what’s happened to us, doesn’t it? The staff of Hope’s Peak locked their students inside the school, only for Ultimate Despair to take over.”

“History’s repeating itself,” James muttered, before sighing and closing the file. “At least things are starting to make more sense now.”

The two of them left the lab behind them, finally moving onto the Principal’s Office. To their mounting excitement, the door had been unlocked, just as Monobear had promised. As the pair entered the office, Nathan wondered exactly what they would find inside. What could be so important that had made James so keen to enter?

But, when they passed through the door that had frustrated them all for so long, they found themselves in an ordinary, if respectable, office. A desk of polished mahogany, complete with a sturdy, wooden chair. A beautiful landscape painting handing above an antique cabinet. The walls were covered with plaques, diplomas, and even a handful of photographs. The only thing that seemed in any way out of place was the iron plate that had been bolted into the wall, covering up a window that – Nathan was sure – had a stunning view of the school grounds.

The evidence in this particular room had been left on the desk. Nathan read it while Jack took a look around. It looked like a list of names.

 

_Staff of St. Elpis’ College, 2011/2012_

_Principal – Padraig O’Callaghan, former Ultimate Political Speaker_

_Deputy Principal – Harold Prendergast, former Ultimate Lecturer_

_Treasurer – Claire Foley, former Ultimate Accountant_

_Secretary – Eva Banville, former Ultimate Secretary_ **絶望**

 _Nurse – Saoirse Fogarty, former Ultimate Medic_ **絶望**

_Guidance Councillor – Greg Mooney, former Ultimate Advice-Giver_

_Head of English and Literature Department – Mairéad Cullen, former Ultimate Playwright_

_Head of Mathematics Department – Anne Sheehy, former Ultimate Mathematician_ **絶望**

_Head of Irish Department – Máire Seoige, former Ultimate Traditional Musician_

_Head of Foreign Languages Department – Alan McMorrow, former Ultimate Linguist_ **絶望**

 _Head of Music Department – Ivor Kavanagh, former Ultimate Conductor_ **絶望**

_Head of Science Department – David Rossiter, former Ultimate Chemist_

And so the list went, detailing the entire staff of St. Elpis’. Nathan was intrigued, although not entirely surprised, that most of the people on the list were alumni of the school. Once he had read through the whole thing, Nathan was about to put the file down, only to spot a particular name near the top of the page that he had skimmed over before. He froze.

“James,” he called, his voice sounding strained in his ears, “I think your mother is on this.”

He heard the Ultimate Liar stiffen, and his footsteps drew closer until he was standing at Nathan’s side again

“…I was afraid of this,” James whispered after a few moments had passed.

“Then it _is_ her?”

“Yeah, it is. My mother…she was the secretary here at St. Elpis’.”

Nathan turned his head to stare at his friend. “And you never thought to tell any of us about this?”

James grimaced. “I don’t like talking about her. She pretty much abandoned me, remember?”

Nathan almost flinched at the bitterness in James’ words. “Alright, sorry. But you still shouldn’t hide this sort of thing from us.”

“It’s not like I was _lying_ ,” James protested. “It just…never really came up. I only ever mentioned her to you _once_.” James returned his gaze to the list. “But, it’s strange…what d’you think these characters mean?”

Nathan had spotted them, too; Japanese symbols next to several of the names of the staff, including James’ mother.

“You know I don’t know Japanese,” Nathan grumbled, before hesitating. “Although…I think I might’ve seen these symbols somewhere before.”

“Really?”

Come to think of it, hadn’t James seen them before, as well? But neither of them could recall at the time being exactly where.

Deciding that it would come to them eventually, James and Nathan both set off for the next floor.


	47. Chapter 6: The Sickness unto Death - Part 6

_Laethanta Mínormálta?_  -  Abnormal Days?

Fionn, Aisling and Niamh climbed the stairs, taking them up to the first floor. After quickly glancing through the classrooms, they found no traces of the evidence that the mastermind had left for them. They returned to the lounge by the landing, before following the corridor that would take them to the gym. Lying on the floor in front of the gym’s entrance was exactly what they were looking for, and so Fionn picked it up and began to read.

 

_Once the reserve course program had been introduced to Hope’s Peak Academy, it wasn’t long before the division between the school’s students arose. The ‘Ultimate’ students in the main course began to look down on those who owed their attendance at Hope’s Peak to nothing more than money, as opposed to sheer talent. Eventually, even the school’s staff began to view the reserve course as being inferior. Those calling themselves ‘Ultimate Despair’ took advantage of this conflict, kidnapping the members of Hope’s Peak Academy’s student council and forcing them into a sadistic game, in which only those who were willing and able to kill their own peers would be allowed to escape. This first ever ‘mutual killing game’ resulted in the deaths of every one of its participants, save Soshun Murasame, the president of the student council, and Izuru Kamukura, the Ultimate Hope._

_However, Ultimate Despair hadn’t finished just yet. Despite the academy’s best attempts at covering up the incident, Ultimate Despair were able to broadcast the entire incident to the students of the reserve course, who watched in horror and rage as the so-called ‘Ultimate Hope’ resorted to murdering his fellow students. Kamukura had been lauded as a symbol of the future, not just for Hope’s Peak, but for the nation itself. Kamukura represented the fruits of the academy’s labour, and what they had been striving for so long to create: someone who truly brought new meaning to the word ‘talent’. Thus, the reserve course students were outraged that the money that had put forward for their own education had apparently been spent in order to create murderers. This negative sentiment towards the academy led to an unprecedented uprising by the reserve course students. Unbeknownst to them all, they were being manipulated from the shadows by the very same person that had released the footage of the first mutual killing game – Junko Enoshima. And once that person had no further use for the reserve course students, she convinced them all to succumb to despair and take their own lives._

_That is the truth behind the Tragedy of Hope’s Peak Academy._

 

Fionn shook his head in horror. “There’s no way that this is true. This…this couldn’t have happened to students! People wouldn’t stand for it!”

“It does seem very…unreal,” Niamh admitted, only for Aisling to chime in.

“So has everything that’s happened to us! If these Ultimate Despair people mentioned here are the same ones that are keeping us in this place, I wouldn’t put something like this incident past them.”

Fionn flinched, but said nothing.

“I wonder…” Niamh placed a hand to her chin in thought. “Could the events described in this article be the Tragedy that Nathan mentioned? The biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history.”

“All those reserve course students killed themselves,” said Aisling. “That sounds fairly 'tragic' to me.”

Fionn gritted his teeth. “But how could it have started from something like _this_?! The Tragedy caused the entire _world_ to collapse!” In a lower voice, he added, “And that’s if the two lads are telling the truth in the first place.”

“You don’t trust them?” Aisling asked him.

“It’s…it’s not that I don’t _want_ to trust them.” Fionn squeezed his eyes shut. “It’s just that, well…”

He faltered. He had no good reason not to trust them both. Nathan had never been deceitful in any way, and James had been doing his best to overcome his title as the Ultimate Liar ever since being outed in the last trial. Fionn had acted so cold towards James when he had confronted him the day before. He hadn’t wanted to believe what he’d learned about the outside world. Now, Fionn realised that he didn’t want to trust James, not because he was the Ultimate Liar, but because he was afraid. Afraid of what James and Nathan’s words implied. In other words, Fionn was nothing more than a coward.

“Fionn?”

“I…never mind,” he said at last. “What do the two of ye think about this?”

Niamh’s eyes scanned the page once again. “It seems a bit farfetched, honestly. I mean, could the disparity between the two courses really have caused so much strife?”

“I dunno,” Aisling murmured, her mouth screwed up in thought. “People really look up to St. Elpis’ in this country. Getting invited to attend is a massive honour. A lot of the students had to work really hard to get here. If somebody was able to just pay their way in…well, _I’d_ be annoyed. And I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t be the only one, either.”

“And if Ultimate Despair were working behind the scenes,” Niamh said, “they could have manipulated the negative sentiment to their advantage. After all, that’s what Monobear has been doing to us all this time.”

Fionn sighed. “The more we find out about all of this, the more fucked-up it gets.”

“Which, I’m sure, is exactly how the mastermind wants us to feel,” Niamh told him. “We’re almost out of this place. We can’t afford to hesitate now.”

Their next destination was the library. The three of them spent some time searching the place from top to bottom, only to discover that the evidence they were looking for had been hidden under one of the couches; it was another file. Aisling got down on her hands and knees and retrieved the file from beneath its hiding spot. She opened it up, and began to read, with Fionn and Niamh peering over her shoulders.

 

_After the death of Junko Enoshima, many of her followers were so overcome with despair that they killed themselves, following their leader’s example. Several high-ranking members of Ultimate Despair, however, strove to carry on Enoshima’s will and perpetuate the Tragedy that had consumed the world. Fifteen of these members, the so-called ‘Remnants of Despair’, continued to spread despair across Japan and elsewhere, until they were successfully captured by the Future Foundation. Although plans were arranged to have these threats to society eliminated, a small faction within the foundation chose instead to enter the Remnants into a rehabilitation program: the Neo World Program. There, the Remnants would be placed into a virtual reality, in which their memories of their lives as Ultimate Despair would be erased. It was intended that the effects of their interaction with Enoshima would be overridden, and they could return to society as normal, functioning human beings._

_However, due to the intervention of one of the Remnants, a computer virus was uploaded to the system before the program could begin. As such, what was intended as a rehabilitation attempt was transformed into yet another mutual killing game – ironically one where the players were former members of Ultimate Despair. With the help of the Future Foundation members that had brought them into the simulation, the surviving Remnants were able to overcome the virus’ efforts, and escape the virtual world with their minds and bodies intact._

 

Fionn gaped at the words before him. He had read them twice over now, and yet none of it seemed to be sinking in. It was like reading a shitty science fiction novel. In fact, it was _worse_ ; at least with a novel, he knew that what he was reading was a complete impossibility. But this file had been given to them by the mastermind, just like the ones before. He knew that they would all be expected to believe every word.

“This…this is impossible!” Aisling cried. “There’s no way in hell that any of this could’ve actually happened!”

“I wouldn’t be so certain,” Niamh murmured, her face knotted in a frown. “You’d be surprised just how far technology has progressed in the last decade or so. While I was preparing to attend St. Elpis’, I did some research on the other schools of its kind around the world. Apparently, Hope’s Peak Academy had its fair share of talented individuals, including someone known as the Ultimate Programmer. I don’t doubt that they had something to do with this ‘virtual reality’.” She paused, regarding the text in the file once again. “But I’m curious about this Future Foundation that’s mentioned here. It seems like they were in opposition to Ultimate Despair. It looks as though they were trying to stop the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history. Maybe they still are.”

Fionn scoffed. “Then where the hell are they? The biggest, most… _whatever_ is what caused this whole mess that we’re in! If they’re tryin’ to stop the Tragedy, then why aren’t they tryin’ to get us out of this hellhole?”

“Maybe…something’s keeping them busy?” Aisling suggested quietly.

“Like what?”

There was a moment’s silence as the three of them tried to think of whatever if could be that was occupying the Future Foundation’s efforts.

After a while, Niamh said, “We won’t get anywhere thinking like this without much to go on. Let’s keep moving.”

Aisling raised an eyebrow. “Where? We were told to investigate the first two floors. We’ve been everywhere we’re supposed to.”

“Not _everywhere_.”

Puzzled, Aisling and Fionn followed the Ultimate Model out of the library and back down the corridor that lead to the stairwell. When they reached the landing, Niamh turned left, and led them to another corridor, one that they had never been to before. Fionn and Aisling realised, with a jolt, that the reason why they had never been down this particular hallway was because it had only been opened earlier that day.

“This is…”

Niamh nodded. “This should lead to the first floor dormitories. Monobear forbade us from coming here after the first trial.”

“But now we can go wherever we want,” Aisling said.

“Exactly.”

The walk along the dormitory corridor seemed to last a lifetime to the trio of students. Each of them was wondering what awaited them at the end. Which was why they were all surprised when they found something unusual, not at the end of the hallway, but right in the middle of it.

Aisling was the one who noticed it. The first thing she spotted out of the corner of her eye was a small splash of white against the pale red of the corridor’s walls. She turned her head to give it a proper look, and promptly stopped walking.

“Lads,” she said, hearing her voice shake ever so slightly. “Look at this.”

Niamh and Fionn followed the boxer’s gaze to see a series of chalk markings. The markings started on the floor, then trailed upwards onto the wall, before looping around and travelling back down again. What they showed was the outline of a human body, similar to what one might find at a crime scene, slumped against the wall. As if the chalk outline wasn’t enough, the three of them could still make out some dried, faded bloodstains surrounding the ‘head’.

Fionn was the first to speak. “Jesus…”

“H-how did that get here?” Aisling asked.

Niamh swallowed, bile rising in her throat. “Nathan said…there was a battle inside the school. Ultimate Despair versus the remaining students.”

“D’you think…?” Fionn shook his head. “Let’s keep goin’. I want to find out what’s at the end of this place.”

But it only got worse. They had scarcely walked another ten metres before they found another chalk outline, lying in the centre of the hallway floor. And with it, another bloodstain – one that had dried into the carpet. They stepped past it, only to find another lying just a few paces away.

As they progressed further down the corridor, they found more and more of the chalk outlines, each one turning their stomachs and heightening their overall sense of dread. By the time they came to the end of the corridor, they had passed by roughly a dozen of them. The dormitories had a similar layout to the ones on the ground floor, and they even opened a few of the doors into the bedrooms. Within, they found shredded walls and destroyed furniture, and each time there was a set of symbols painted onto the wall in the same dark, brownish liquid that had accompanied the chalk outlines. Repulsed, they closed the doors once again.

Their exploration of the first floor dormitories only seemed to confirm everything that Nathan had told them. No matter how little they wanted to believe it, it was growing harder for them to deny the reality of the evidence they had been presented with. The three of them left the dormitories behind them in a cold silence.

 

*** 

 

James and Nathan arrived in the music room after scouring most of the top floor in vain for clues. James immediately set about, searching the room, but Nathan lingered in the doorway. Uncomfortable memories had suddenly drifted to the forefront of his mind, and he struggled to shake them off.

“Here it is,” James called to his friend, as he found the next file lying atop the grand piano’s keyboard. He looked over at Nathan, only to see him still standing by the door. “You want to have a look?”

Nathan caught himself, coming back to the present. “Yeah, sure.”

James opened up the file as Nathan crossed over to join him. Immediately, it was clear that this was a different sort of clue entirely from the ones they had received previously; inside the file was a collection of photographs. The photos were of a poor and grainy quality, but it was still quite possible to make out the important details. It looked as though the pictures had been taken from CCTV footage, with the camera overlooking a narrow corridor. As the two boys flicked through the pages, they saw a person – a young girl, dressed in a uniform skirt and blouse – backing up against the wall. She was looking at something out of frame and, despite the image quality, they could plainly see the sheer terror fixed on her face.

James murmured, “What’s she looking at, I wonder?”

In the next picture, although the girl was in the same position as before, something had changed. A single, black object had appeared in front of her, but its shape was too blurry to make out. Apparently, it had been moving too quickly for the camera to capture properly. Interestingly, the girl’s eyes seemed to be looking directly at the blurred object, and her mouth had opened wide. Her body language – the way she was shrinking away from the object and clutching onto the wall – gave the two boys the impression that she was screaming.

“That answers _that_ question,” Nathan muttered.

“But what the hell _is_ it?”

Ignoring a chill down his spine, James moved onto the next photograph. Here, the shape had moved to the girl, pushing her against the wall and seemingly holding her there. The shape was still blurry, but the girl could be seen in better detail than ever. Her head had twisted towards the camera, and their stomachs lurched at the expression on her face. Her eyes were bulging, her mouth still open in that scream neither of them could hear.

James hurried onto the next picture, only to find one even more disturbing than the last. The shape had finally resolved itself into a figure, standing with its back to the camera. The person, whoever they were, had thick, black hair so long that it fell down to their waist and beyond. They were wearing a dark suit and trousers, and the two boys could clearly see the person’s arm pinning the girl against the wall, with their hand tightly clutching her neck. Furthermore, a red stain had blossomed into existence on the wall behind the girl’s head, sickening them both.

“What the fuck?” Nathan breathed. “What… _is_ this?”

Hurriedly, James flicked over to the penultimate photo, in which the figure in black had dropped the girl to the floor. There was a nasty smear of blood trailing down the wall, following the path her head had taken. The way the girl’s body was positioned, the unnatural way she was slumped against the wall, left no doubt in their minds that she was dead. The person – the girl’s killer – had turned so that their face was half-visible beneath their mass of hair. Their features were too vague to determine whether the murderer was male or female, but Nathan and James were able to see a single, red eye glaring coldly out at them. Nathan shivered.

The finale picture depicted the girl’s body, still lying against the wall. Her killer had vanished, leaving the corridor behind them empty of life.

James closed the file, inhaling sharply.

“No, seriously,” Nathan said, his voice quivering, “what the fuck was that?!”

James had been just as shaken by what they had both seen. “A murder. But why? And who are these people?”

“The…the thing that killed that poor girl…there’s something not _right_ about them.” To Nathan, the pictures had looked like something straight out of a horror film.

“You noticed, too? Judging by the timestamp on the pictures, they were all taken within a few seconds.”

“A few _seconds_?” he echoed in disbelief. “How did it move so fast?”

“And so casually. They just moved in, killed her, and then ran off again. Most of which was too fast for the camera even to capture properly.” James grimaced. “We’re dealing with someone or something seriously dangerous.”

A thought struck the Ultimate Liar, and he had another quick look at the photos again. He held the file out to Nathan, pointing at something in the picture. “D’you see this sign here on the wall? Just above the door in the background.”

Nathan saw where James was pointing. The sign in question had more Japanese characters written on it.

“What about it?”

“I’ve seen those symbols before, on the blueprints we found earlier.” James held up one arm, under which he was holding the files they had obtained along the way.

“And I suppose you don’t think it’s a coincidence?”

James shook his head with a wry smile. “Not if the mastermind is showing them to us. There must be a connection between Hope’s Peak and these photographs.”

Another brief search of the music room turned up no results, and the two boys were naturally eager to leave.

“Come on,” Nathan said, leading the way out of the room.

The Ultimate Lucky Student felt James’ eyes on him. “Wait. Before we finish all of this, I need to know that…you’re okay.”

Nathan didn’t turn around, but he said, “Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be? Unless you’re still going on about those weird photos?”

“No, I mean, it’s just that we never got a chance to talk about how you’re feeling. You know…about Ciara?”

Nathan’s eyes flickered shut. So, the pain hadn’t gone away. He had felt it, just then, when James had mentioned her name.

“It’s…it’s fine. She…we were only together for a few days, anyway. It’s not like I had much of a chance to get attached to her, right?”

James raised an eyebrow. “Is that really true?”

After a few seconds of silence, Nathan’s shoulder slumped. “Not really, no. I know it was…” He gave an embarrassed smile. “Well, a mostly _physical_ relationship. But it still meant something to me.”

Nathan sighed as he turned around to face his friend. “And now she’s gone. Just like that. It was only chance that made it happen, too; if she hadn’t been up on the top floor when Mick was hiding there, she probably wouldn’t have died.” His gaze dropped to the floor. “I think some of my stupidly bad luck must’ve rubbed off on her. Sometimes, I…I get the feeling I might doom anyone who tries to get close to me.”

James stepped a little bit closer. “You know, Nate, I don’t think that’s true. Nothing in this world is absolute. Especially not something as vague as luck, be it good _or_ bad. Even if there’s somebody who’s supposedly incredibly lucky, one day it’ll run out. That’s just the way the world works. And I know that it’ll be the same for you someday. But that’s ultimately up to you, Nate. You can choose whether or not to give in to the despair of a lifetime of bad luck, or you can hope that, one day, your luck will change for the better.”

Nathan finally found himself able to meet James’s eye. He gave him a sad smile. “I thought you were finished with all those hope-versus-despair speeches?”

The liar chuckled. “Apparently not. I have a feeling I might need to give at least one more in the trial today.” He tilted his head as he regarded the Ultimate Lucky Student. “So, are you ready to go on? There’s not much more of the school left to go, and we’re already running low on time.”

Together, they left the music room behind them and followed the corridor around to the door labelled ‘Upper Deck’. Unfortunately, it was still shut tight.

“I suppose this must be one of the ‘exceptions’ Monobear was on about earlier,” James muttered as Nathan struggled with the door. “Nothing we can do here.”

They moved on, passing through several classrooms that held nothing new for them. Eventually, only one room remained unchecked – the computer room. A twist of the doorknob gave them access, and they stepped into a room that was larger than they expected. It was a hall filled with desks from wall to wall, each with its own computer atop it. The ceiling was low, but there was quite a distance between the opposite walls.

Nathan grimaced at the mass of desks. “Well…I suppose we’d better get started.”

The two of them set to work, spreading out and examining each desk and computer one-by-one. They looked behind the monitors, on top of the towers and even underneath the keyboards. As they had expected, none of the computers were operating. In fact, they didn’t seem to have any power in them at all. Finally, after it seemed like he had searched for an age, Nathan found a file lying on top of one of the keyboards, and he gave James a shout.

“It’s over here!”

James had to walk the long way around the room, passing by numerous computers, in order to rejoin the Ultimate Lucky Student, who had already opened the file and began reading its contents: a single page, filled with neat writing. It looked like some kind of report.

 

_We’re running out of time. Our activities in St. Elpis’ have not gone unnoticed, and have even spread so far as to alert the Future Foundation. It won’t be long now, before they travel to this country in an attempt to resist us._

_Fortunately, according to Ms. O’Shea, ratings have remained more or less consistent across the board. Every channel has been broadcasting the mutual killing game nonstop since its beginning, and thus every town with functioning electricity remaining has had access to viewing._

_The despair felt by the populace is perpetuated by this broadcast. It would not do for the Future Foundation to interfere before the game can conclude. Our foes have been annoyingly persistent in attempting to derail Ultimate Despair’s activities around the world. Even Japan, the birthplace of our organisation, has all but embraced the hope provided by that blasted foundation._

_In short, efforts must be made to stop the meddling of the Future Foundation, or else our operations may be brought to a premature end._

 

James in particular, read the report with great interest.

“The Future Foundation…” A smile had lightened up his expression. “You know what this means? There are people out there trying to help us!”

Nathan spread his arms, indicating their surroundings. “A fat lot of good that’s done so far,” he grumbled.

“But look on the bright side, Nate! We’re not alone. And it looks like Ultimate Despair isn’t as in-control of the world as we thought they were.”

Nathan was about to say something, but his voice died when the loudspeakers clicked and Monobear’s voice filled the room.

_“Ding-ding-ding! Your time’s up! Now everybody head down to the foyer and prepare; the Final Trial is about to commence!”_

Nathan winced. “Don’t tell me it’s that time already? We haven’t gotten a chance to meet up with the others and discuss our findings!”

“I’m sure that’s exactly what Monobear is planning,” James said, his eyes narrowing. “He wants us as confused and disorganised as possible before we get started. That way, the mastermind will have the advantage.”

The Ultimate Lucky Student groaned. “Typical. We’ll just have to make do during the trial, so.”

Together, they left the silent and lifeless computer room behind them.

 

*** 

 

By the time Nathan and James had arrived back in the entrance hall, Fionn, Niamh and Aisling were already waiting for them. They didn’t even have a chance to talk before the wall slid open and revealed the stairs leading down to the courtroom. But James didn’t want to take those last few steps without saying something.

“Whatever happens in that courtroom, remember that I trust you all. I know that may not mean much coming from the Ultimate Liar, but I swear to you that it’s true. The mastermind is going to try and turn us against each other, to make us succumb to despair. We can’t let that happen. We’ve all come too far to give up hope now.” He looked back at his comrades, his only surviving friends. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah,” Nathan said.

“Of course,” said Niamh.

Aisling grinned. “Ready as ever.”

Fionn said nothing, but gave a firm nod, and James turned from them all, leading the way down into the darkness below.


	48. Chapter 6: The Sickness unto Death - Part 7

_An Triail Deireanach_  -  The Final Trial

The great doors at the foot of the steps opened up to reveal the courtroom, having undergone one final makeover. Gone were the spikes from before: now, the walls were made from shining steel, with odd ridges and grooves cut vertically into them. These designs twisted upwards with the walls, spiralling up to the ceiling far above the students’ heads. It wasn’t until they could see the length of the chamber in its entirety that they all realised what the courtroom had been designed to resemble – the barrel of a gun.

They were surprised to see Monobear standing at the circle of podiums instead of sitting on his throne. Indeed, the throne had been done away with entirely, and so had the signposts that had stood in for the deceased students for so long. The principal was standing at the podium that had once belonged to Aidan, right in between Niamh and Aisling’s own podiums.

“Soooooo glad you could all make it!” The bear chuckled as they each took their places at the circle. “Isn’t this exciting, boys and girls? We’ve all come so far to get to this point. I know it’s only been a few weeks, but _man_ does this feel like it was a long time coming! Am I right?”

When there was no response from the students, Monobear sighed.

“Alright, fine, fine. I get it. So, you want the down-low on how this is gonna work? Well, get ready, ‘cos I’m about to blow your stupid, little minds!

“The Final Trial will be a sequence of four questions prepared by yours truly. You idiots will have to decide on the answer to each question, before moving onto the next one. You can use any of the evidence you have gathered today, or on any other day since your arrival here. If you get all of the questions right, you’ll be allowed to leave this place safe and sound. However, if any of the questions are answered _in_ correctly…” He grinned. “Upupupu! Let’s just say I’ve prepared a _very_ special punishment!

“Not to worry, though. You’ll have plenty of time to discuss your answers to my questions. But, if I feel that any of you are stalling for time, I won’t hesitate to deliver a swift penalty.” Monobear swelled proudly. “Now, then, you may begin. Your first question: who brought you into this mutual killing game, and for what purpose?”

James said, “This shouldn’t be too difficult. We can just compare our situation to the ones described in the evidence we received.”

“What d’you mean?” Fionn asked, with a frown.

But Niamh seemed to understand. “You’re talking about the previous mutual killing games, aren’t you?”

James nodded. “That’s right. I take it, then, that you all found some information about them, too?”

“We found an article on the ‘Tragedy of Hope’s Peak Academy’,” the model explained. “Apparently, the reserve course students there staged a revolt after the student council were involved in a mutual killing game.”

“Ultimate Despair were the ones who organised it, as well,” Aisling added.

Nathan said, “We found an article that mentioned that, too. It said that the Tragedy of Hope’s Peak led to a massive revolution, started by the reserve course students, which eventually led to the collapse of society.”

Niamh froze. “Is…is that true?” She glanced at Monobear, who gave a goofy shrug.

“Who knows?” He giggled. “I swear everything I gave you losers is the truth. Now it’s up to you whether you believe me…or not! Upupu!”

Niamh hesitated, before shaking her head. “I don’t see why the mastermind would lie to us at this point. If anything, these facts we’ve uncovered being true would incite even _more_ despair in us.”

“So you’re going to believe them?” Fionn asked her.

“…I think we should proceed under the assumption that the evidence we’ve uncovered is factual and correct. The mastermind wants this trial to have some semblance of fairness, after all. What ‘fairness’ would there be if all the evidence they gave us is false?”

Fionn grimaced. “That’s a good point.” He shrugged. “Alright, fuck it. Let’s go with that, so.”

“I think we can be fairly sure that Ultimate Despair are the ones who brought us into the game,” Nathan said. “As for the reason _why_ …”

“From what we’ve gathered,” Niamh said, “Ultimate Despair only ever really have one item on their agenda, as it were: spreading despair.”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” James agreed. “It’s consistent with the reasons behind the other mutual killing game we read about – the one in Hope’s Peak Academy. The article we found said that ‘ _the game was broadcast all over Japan, with the intention of spreading despair to the masses’_. Since we already know that our game is being broadcast across Ireland, we can safely assume that the purpose behind our situation is similar.”

“So…is that it, then?” Aisling looked around at everyone. “Ultimate Despair brought us into this game, and they did it in order to spread despair?”

No one raised any objections, prompting Monobear to say, “That sounds like a unanimous agreement to me! And you’re lucky, too, because that’s exactly right! The kind folks over at Ultimate Despair are the ones behind this mutual killing game, and all the rest, too.”

Nathan raised an eyebrow. “‘All the rest’? How many of these fucked-up games can there have been? I mean, the one me and James read about was the second one, I know that much. And the first was the ‘Tragedy of Hope’s Peak’, wasn’t it? Does that make this one the third?”

“There was another article, I think,” Fionn said. “It was goin’ on about some _simulation_ , where there was another one of those killin’ games.”

“And the people who were in it,” Aisling went on, “were members of Ultimate Despair themselves.”

Nathan frowned. “What? How did _that_ work?”

Fionn chuckled humourlessly. “Fuck if I know. Some bullshit about the Ultimate Despairs bein’ cured of their problems inside a computer world. But then a virus got in and messed everything up, startin’ another mutual killin’ game.”

James sighed. “That’s…a lot to take in. But I think we can count that as the third mutual killing game. Would that make this one the fourth?”

Monobear laughed. “Ohohoh _nooooo_. Believe me, there’s a lot more than just Japanese kids involved nowadays. We’ve got mutual killing games going on worldwide!”

James stiffened, his gut churning in fear. “Wait…what?!”

“Upupu…did you think you were the only ones? A tiny little country like Ireland being the single bearer of Ultimate Despair’s legacy? No way! We’ve been running mutual killing games pretty much _everywhere_! America, China, France, Australia, a couple more in Japan…and even one over in Britain. Pandora Institute was host to its very own mutual killing game!” Monobear snickered nastily. “Of course, _that_ one didn’t last very long…”

Niamh’s eyes were wide with shock. “Then…this sort of thing has been happening all around the world? Ordinary people like us, thrown into these hellish situations…”

“No, not _ordinary_ people!” Monobear corrected her. “It has to be _Ultimates_! The very top of the range! The best of the best! Throw some random kids into a closed space and tell ‘em to bump each other off? Who _cares_?! The best way to spread despair via mutual killing games is to have all the participants be Ultimate students – the ones who everyone expected to carry the hopes of their nations’ futures! That’s the way the Tragedy is continued!”

“The biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history,” Nathan muttered numbly.

“Cor-rect!” Monobear enthused. “Now, if I’m not mistaken, you losers _did_ get the first question right. So, now that we’re on the topic of the Tragedy, it’s time for question number two!”

Although they were all still reeling from the bombshell that Monobear had so casually dropped on them, the five remaining students tried to collect their thoughts.

“Here it is: what happened to the outside world?”

Fionn blinked. “Didn’t you just say it yourself? The Tragedy, wasn’t it?”

Niamh shook her head. “No, I think he wants us to elaborate on what _caused_ the Tragedy, and what the Tragedy was in the first place.”

“Yes, indeedy!” Monobear cried. “Now get to it! I don’t want to see any lazy workers! Everybody has to pitch in!”

“Well,” Fionn began, “from what I’ve heard, because of a group of students in some school in Japan, the world’s after collapsin’. Is that right?”

“Not just _any_ school,” James reminded him. “Hope’s Peak Academy – one of the world’s most influential and well-known educational institutions. Only Pandora Institute in the UK, Success Summit in America and the School of Xiwang in China come anywhere near it in terms of sheer renown. The eyes of the world were on Hope’s Peak once that uprising started. And the Internet was used to spread the ideals held by those students. Soon enough, the world was gripped by despair.”

Nathan pursed his lips in thought. “A mutual killing game featuring the student council, though… Would that really be enough to cause the school’s students to revolt so violently?”

“The article we discovered mentioned something else,” Niamh informed him. “One of the people who took part in the game was someone by the name of Izuru Kamukura.”

Nathan raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry?”

“Izuru Kamukura. He was the Ultimate Hope, and one of that game’s only survivors, according to the article. He…it was mentioned that the academy somehow _created_ him.”

Aisling had a bemused look on her face. “Yeah, what was _that_ all about? Is that… _Ka-moo-koo-rah_ person some kind of Frankenstein monster thing?”

“Who knows? But the fact of the matter is that Kamukura was treated as a symbol of Hope’s Peak Academy’s ideals – a beacon of hope for the future. Hence the title he received.”

James began to understand. “Ah, so if that mutual killing game was broadcast just like ours and the ‘second’ one, Kamukura would be seen as a murderer. And that, in turn, would have a negative effect on how the academy was perceived. No wonder the students were so outraged.”

“And these were the reserve course students,” Niamh pointed out. “They already held a strong resentment towards the academy for how they were treated.”

Nathan smiled humourlessly. “So you’re saying it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to imagine that they would’ve kicked up a fuss if they were presented with the Ultimate Hope committing murder in their school…” He froze. “Hold on a sec.” The Ultimate Lucky Student turned to James. “You still have those photographs we found, don’t you?”

“Y-yeah…?”

“What if…the person in those photographs is this Kamukura person?”

James’ mouth dropped open. “Oh! Then that could be the reason why the sign in the background matches the symbols on the blueprints of Hope’s Peak. The photos show Kamukura during the first mutual killing game!”

Aisling looked from one of the lads to the other in bewilderment. “What are ye two on about?”

James searched through the files he had left on his podium, pulling out one of them and passing it over to the three who hadn’t yet seen the pictures.

“We found these in the music room. We think they were taken from footage of the first mutual killing game.”

The photographs were passed around the circle, with Niamh, Fionn and Aisling all wincing in horror once they had examined them clearly.

“This is horrible!” the boxer exclaimed, gingerly handing the file with the photographs back to James.

Niamh asked, “And you think that the person in these pictures – the one who killed the girl – is Izuru Kamukura?”

“He definitely _looks_ like a Frankenstein monster thing,” Aisling muttered.

“If that really is the same lad,” Fionn said, “then I suppose I wouldn’t be too surprised if the Hope’s Peak students had a riot after. Imagine if a star student suddenly went mental and started killin’ some people? _I’d_ be freaked out.”

James regarded the pictures thoughtfully. “I wonder though…just who or what _is_ this Kamukura person?”

But Monobear cut off his musings. “Hey, hey, hey! You’re getting off-topic! Just answer the question, or I’ll be forced to intervene with _extreme_ prejudice!”

Reluctantly, James put the file back onto his podium. “Yeah, fair enough. So what happened after the Tragedy of Hope’s Peak was revealed to the general public, including the academy’s own students?”

Nathan ticked the facts off on his fingers. “Well, the reserve course students revolted against the academy, and the Japanese government. Their actions went viral on the web soon after, and the rebellion spread all around the world. But Ultimate Despair was manipulating the whole thing to their advantage, and soon the entire world had been corrupted by the despair spread by this so-called revolution. There were wars and brutal killings worldwide. Eventually, people became so accustomed to it that it became part of their daily life. That’s the truth behind the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history.” He took a breath. “Anything I missed?”

“Once Ultimate Despair had no further use for the reserve course students, they had them all commit suicide.”

James head twisted to face the Ultimate Model, who had spoken. “Is that true?!”

“It’s what the article told us,” Niamh said sadly.

“Aaaaaand that just about covers everything!” Monobear cried. “And you’re absolutely right! Those are the details of the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history! Amazing how something so gorgeous and grand can grow from something so small and insignificant as serial murder?”

Fionn sighed with relief. “We got two questions right. But the more I find out about what’s goin’ on outside…”

James cut him off. “Don’t start thinking like that. Remember what I said before the trial began? We can’t afford to look back now.”

Nathan nodded in agreement. “Alright, then give us the next question, Monobear.”

“Sure thing! Upupu…it’s so delightful to see you bastards getting into this. Anyway, question number three: who is the mastermind behind this mutual killing game?”

The courtroom fell into a momentary silence. This was it – the moment that the person responsible for all their suffering would be unmasked.

But Nathan wanted to be entirely certain about what Monobear was referring to. “When you say ‘mastermind’, d’you mean the person controlling you right now?”

Monobear shivered with revulsion. “Eeeewww! You make it sound like I’m one of those creepy robotic puppets you’d find in a haunted pizzeria! Buuuut…yes. I want you lamers to name the person controlling me.”

Aisling groaned. “How are we supposed to figure _that_ out?”

“Well, we already know that the mastermind has to be a member of Ultimate Despair,” Niamh reasoned. “After all, they’re the ones who organised this whole mutual killing game, and the others, as well.” She surveyed her friends. “What evidence do we have that’ll help us here?”

“Well, there’s one name in particular that seems important to me,” James said. “‘Junko Enoshima’. She was the mastermind behind the first two mutual killing games.”

“But she died,” Nathan reminded him. “Even if this game is being carried on in her memory, that doesn’t make her the one behind Monobear.”

“Well,” Niamh said, “let’s think for a moment. Nathan, you said that Ultimate Despair was able to infiltrate this school. That’s how they were able to take over St. Elpis’ once the principal had the doors and windows barred.”

Nathan was about to answer, only for Monobear to interrupt.

“Waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait!” the bear snapped, before pointing an accusing claw at the Ultimate Lucky Student. “How did you know about that?! Weren’t your memories erased along with the rest?!”

“They _were_ ,” Nathan told him. “But I’m starting to recover some of them, a little bit at a time. I can remember Ultimate Despair’s reign over the school, and our final battle against them.”

Monobear spluttered. “B-b-b-but that’s totally cheating! That wasn’t supposed to happen!”

“You said that we can use any evidence we gathered today, or on _any other day_ since our arrival here.” Nathan grinned and folded his arms in triumph. “I’m presenting my own memories as evidence. After all, I’ve been collecting them slowly since our arrival.”

Monobear gritted his teeth. “…Alright. But I’m onto you, Nathan! Try any more funny business like this, and you _will_ require disciplinary action! Of the fatal kind. Upupupu!”

“So anyway,” Nathan said, choosing to ignore Monobear’s latest threat, “what other evidence did youse find?” He addressed the three students who had investigated the bottom floors.

“We’ve pretty much only found those articles on the other mutual killing games,” Aisling told him. “And some lists.”

“What kind of lists?” James asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Lists of all the students in the school, includin’ us.” Fionn held up some files, which he passed over to James and Nathan.

“ _We_ found a list of all the staff members in the school,” Nathan said. “I wonder…do youse think the mastermind is one of the people on these lists?”

As the Ultimate Lucky Student was talking, James opened up the lists and had a look at their contents. Sure enough, there was Class 11 – all of the students that had been caught up in this particular mutual killing game. But the other two lists caught his interest: particularly the oh-so familiar symbols next to several of the students’ names. He was certain of it now – it was the same symbol that was on the staff list. And before that, they had seen it on a blackboard filled with writings from dozens of languages, all saying the same word over and over again.

“I think I have something,” James announced. He held up one of the lists for everyone to see. “Look at these symbols next to the names.”

“Yeah, we saw those earlier,” Aisling remarked. “D’you know what they mean?”

James nodded. “I do: ‘zetsubou’. It’s the Japanese for ‘despair’. And the fact that there’s no sign of that symbol anywhere on our class list except for me can only mean one thing: this symbol marks out the members of Ultimate Despair within the school.”

Nathan checked the lists himself, before giving a nod. “That makes sense. There’s a symbol next to Matthew Doyle’s name, and I know for a fact that he was a member. I saw it in one of my memories.”

“Hold on a minute,” Fionn said, interrupting Nathan. “James, did you say that there was a symbol next to _your_ name?”

The Ultimate Liar cringed. “Y-yes, unfortunately there is. I…was a member of Ultimate Despair.” He saw the looks of hurt and betrayal on his friends’ faces, and he suddenly felt very ashamed.

“But he’s changed!” Nathan protested, feeling a headache building beneath his temples. “You’ve seen yourself how much he wanted to put his past behind him. He’s not the Ultimate Liar anymore! You can trust him.”

Niamh turned to look at him. “You mean you _knew_ about this, Nathan?”

The Ultimate Lucky Student flinched, fighting the growing pain in his head. “…Yes. In fact, since James has no memory of that time, I was actually the one who _told_ him about it.”

“I don’t believe it…” Aisling regarded the liar with utter disappointment. “You were in with them? They’re the ones who threw us in here! They’re the ones who…who killed…”

“But I never-!”

“We thought we could trust you!” Fionn said, his voice shaking. “And now _this_?”

Nathan’s head was pounding now, the ache making his vision blur.

“Upupupu!” Monobear screeched from his podium. “It’s all coming to light! Yes, I can confirm that James Banville was _indeed_ a member of Ultimate Despair! He was part of the group that took over the school! He betrayed your useless selves! Ohhhh, such _crushing_ despair!!”

“No…” Nathan tried to reach out to his friends, but they suddenly seemed to be lost in a thick, hazy fog. “No, that’s wrong…”

But his protestations fell on deaf ears as the blackness consumed him.


	49. Chapter 0: Mnemosyne - Part 6

“…Come on, wake up!”

“I don’t believe they can hear you, Éamon.”

“D’you think? Then why are they fuckin’ openin’ their eyes, idiot?”

Nathan’s head swam with murky, half-imagined thoughts. The words that reached his ears seemed to pass through a haze of white noise.

“Wake the fuck up!”

“Here, now. These are our guests. We should at least make them feel welcome.”

“Do I really look like I give a fuck what you think, Yeats?”

Nathan wrenched his eyes open, and he was greeted by the sight of two silhouettes in front of a stark, blinding light. He shut his eyes again, and he groaned.

“Oh, look. This one’s awake.”

The chair the Ultimate Lucky Student found himself bound to receive a bone-juddering kick, causing him to cry out blearily.

“Not feelin’ too _lucky_ now, are you?”

“Stop, Éamon. Mistress wants them unhurt.”

“ _Mostly_ unhurt. “I’m allowed to do a _bit_.”

Another voice spoke up. “Alright. I think it’s time for this lot to open up their eyes and see what kind of shit they’ve gotten themselves into.”

Suddenly, a hand was at the back of Nathan’s head, grabbing him by the hair, pulling his head back. His eyes fluttered open, to see a grinning face only inches from his own. The boy’s dark blonde hair was shaved short, and Nathan didn’t need to see his body to know he was wearing his usual tracksuit.

“Hello, Nathan,” said Éamon Clancy, the Ultimate Delinquent. “Fancy meetin’ _you_ here.”

“…Fuck you,” Nathan blurted from parched lips.

Éamon smile only broadened, but he let go of Nathan’s hair, allowing him to lower his head.

“I can’t believe you just walked straight into my trap,” a female voice called from nearby. “Aren’t you lot supposed to be smart, or something?”

Shauna Cash, the Ultimate Technician walked into view, her brother Barry only a few steps behind. The twins wore matching grins, although the resemblance stopped there; Shauna’s plain face and mousy brown hair contrasted hugely with Barry’s handsome features and fair hair.

“They’re not stupid,” another girl said. “Just _really_ gullible.”

Nathan turned his aching head to see Maria Buckley, the Ultimate Computer Engineer. The bespectacled girl was sitting at a desk, complete with a computer. In fact, now that Nathan’s eyes were adjusting to the gloom outside the light that was shining down on him, he could see that the room was filled with computers atop desks; they were inside the computer room – in the very place Ultimate Despair called home.

“I can’t believe you trusted James after everything he did,” Maria continued. “I mean, it was _so_ obvious that he was leading you into a trap.”

“Really, _really_ obvious,” Barry said, his grin never fading.

Nathan heard a voice from behind him mumble, “James…did what…?”

He tried to twist around in his chair, but to no avail. “Ryan!” he cried.

“Is that you, Murph?” came the Ultimate Dancer’s reply. “What happened? Who else is here?”

“I’m here,” they heard Aisling respond.

“Me, too,” Niamh said.

“Same.” That was Seán.

“I’m also here.” Louise.

“As am I,” Alex said. “But what was that about James?”

“Oh, you didn’t realise?” Another girl, this one with shiny black hair and a warm smile that glinted dangerously in the bright light. It was the Ultimate Television Personality – Bláithín O’Shea. “We sent James to lead some of you into our trap.”

“And it worked,” Maria added.

“That’s bullshit,” Nathan said, without a trace of doubt. “If that’s true, then how come he was caught in your trap, as well?”

“An accident,” the engineer responded. “He never was very bright.”

“Then how come you captured him, too?”

She froze. “How could you have known that?”

Barry groaned and rolled his eyes. “Because you just _told_ him.”

“For fuck’s sake, Buckley.”

“Always ruining our little games.”

Maria scowled. “Oh, piss off! He was going to find out _eventually_! Alright, fine, you’re right. James betrayed us for real.”

Shauna wrinkled her nose in disgust. “You can have him. We don’t need traitorous scum like him in Ultimate Despair.”

“Still,” another boy said, “Mistress will be upset to hear he has left us.”

The boy in question had soft, messy brown hair, and always had a serene expression constantly fixed on his face. Nathan knew him – Carl Yeats, the Ultimate Philosopher, from Class 12. In fact, it seemed that much of Class 12 had been inducted into Ultimate Despair.

“Unless, of course,” the philosopher went on, “this was all part of her plan to begin with.”

“You think she knew he’d betray us?” Shauna wondered aloud.

“To be fair, it wasn’t much of a _surprise_ ,” Barry muttered.

“Alex,” Nathan whispered, trying to catch the physicist’s attention while their foes bickered. “What happened? After the bomb went off, where did you go?”

“We were stuck on the other side of the wall,” he quietly replied. “When we returned to the stairwell, we found some of them waiting for us.”

“We tried to run,” Aisling explained, “but there was nowhere for us to go. They caught us.”

“Next thing we knew, we were here,” Ryan concluded.

“What d’you think happened to the ones who stayed downstairs?” Seán asked, but their discussion was cut off by a bark of laughter from Éamon.

“Don’t worry about them,” the delinquent crowed.

“You’ll be seeing them again very soon,” Carl reassured them.

“In fact…” Maria pressed a button on a remote device she had been clutching in her hand, and there was a brief flicker of light as a door on the far-away wall opened, before the threshold was filled with a series of darkened shapes. A group of people walked into the computer room, and the door sealed shut behind them once again.

“Sorry we’re late,” a boy said, as he approached the light in the centre of the room. “But we had a load of extra weight to carry.”

Nathan was forced to watch as the Ultimate Despairs dumped seven limp bodies onto the floor before him: Fionn, Michael, Christopher, Ellie, Aidan, Orlagh and Deirdre.

“We found _these_ six,” a giant boy said, “downstairs.” It was Tadhg Bolger, the Ultimate Bouncer. “They tried to fight us, but…” A sick grin spread across his broad face. “We got ‘em.”

“Good work, Tadhg,” Carl said, before nudging the unconscious Ultimate Soprano with his foot. “And _this_ one?”

A girl stepped forwards into the light. Her hair was short, and her expression stern. It was Mary White, the Ultimate Garda. Another from Class 12.

“We found her skulking around this floor,” she said. “She was armed, but she didn’t give us much trouble in the end.”

Éamon cackled. “That’s my girl.”

The Ultimate Delinquent approached the girl, wrapping his arms around her waist, and pulled her into a sloppy kiss. She responded in kind by sliding her hands down the front of his tracksuits.

“Anything else to report?” Maria asked, exasperation evident in her tone.

“There is, indeed,” a deep, male voice replied. The voice’s owner stepped forward, revealing a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and glasses, dressed in an important-looking suit. Nathan recognised him as Professor Kavanagh, the music teacher, and a former Ultimate Conductor.

“There is the matter of one particular student,” the teacher went on. “A ‘Christopher Coffey’.”

“One of the third-years we overlooked,” Carl said, nodding thoughtfully. “Yes, of course.” His dark eyes moved to the Ultimate Bouncer. “Tadhg, you know what to do.”

The huge boy grinned, before leaning down and picking up the Ultimate Soccer Player with one hulking arm.

“No,” Nathan heard Seán hiss, and there was the sound of a chair scraping against the floor. “Don’t you dare…!”

But Tadhg’s grin only widened at the Ultimate GAA Head’s protests. He turned Christopher’s sleeping body around, until he was facing the captive students. Then, he placed one hand on either side of the soccer player’s skull, and gave it a sharp twist. The horrific snapping sound that accompanied the action brought tears to Nathan’s eyes, and bile into his throat.

“Jesus Christ!” Seán howled, straining against his confinements. “You fuckin’ _cunts_! I’ll kill youse!”

Tadhg dropped the body that had been Christopher Coffey onto the floor once more, discarding it like a ragdoll.

“You won’t even get the chance,” Bláithín told him, in her sickeningly sweet voice. “We’re almost ready for the next step of Mistress’s plan.”

Maria clapped her hands together in delight. “Finally! Lads, you have _no_ idea how long I’ve been waiting for this.”

“At last,” Professor Kavanagh said, spittle flecking from his lips, “we can pay the Ultimate tribute to our Queen.”

As one, each Ultimate Despair bowed their head and whispered, “Praise be to Lady Enoshima.”

“Can you believe we’re _actually_ following in her footsteps like this?” Barry said, giggling slightly. “When the world is in its final throes, when despair lurks in everyone’s hearts, when hope has at last been quenched once and for all… people will remember us and say we were a part of it all.”

“You’re all mad,” Aisling breathed. “Every last one of you.”

“And just _what_ , exactly, are you planning to do?” Alex questioned. “Judging by the fact that we’re all here – all former members of Class 11, might I add – and still alive, you have something in mind for us all.”

“Just a moment,” Carl said. “We seemed to have overlooked something. This Class 11 reunion is not yet complete.”

Éamon, who had finally separated from his lover, said, “I’ll get him.”

He walked past Nathan’s chair, and he was unable to crane his neck far enough to see where the Ultimate Delinquent was going. A few, tense moments of silence passed, before there was the sound of a struggle, and soon Éamon had returned, dragging a chair behind him. This chair, too, had a student bound to it.

“James,” Nathan whispered, upon seeing his former friend.

The Ultimate Despairs placed James’s chair directly in front of the Ultimate Lucky Student, forcing him to witness the other boy’s broken state. The Ultimate Liar’s face was covered in cuts, scratches and bruises. His hair was matted with sweat and blood, and his clothes were now even more tattered than Nathan’s own. James was shaking violently and blinking rapidly.

“What did you do to him?” Nathan demanded.

“Nothin’ serious,” Éamon replied.

“At least, not anything our Ultimate Surgeon couldn’t repair,” Mary said, with a sinister grin.

“Speaking of which,” Shauna said, “where _is_ Fryderyk?”

“He’s getting ready,” Maria replied. “Shouldn’t be too long now before we can start.”

“Nate,” James mumbled, between chattering teeth. “I…I saw Gráinne. And Ciara, too.”

Nathan’s eye widened. “They’re alive?” he whispered.

“Y-yeah. But…that bastard Fryderyk Krόl is doing something to them.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know,” James whimpered. “But, whatever it is…I think we’re next.”

Just then, there was the sound of a door opening from somewhere nearby, and an accented male voice called out, “Bring in the next ones.”

“How many d’you need?” Barry asked.

“Just a few. Maybe three for now.”

The Ultimate Magician nodded at Tadhg, who bent over and picked up Deirdre and Michael, tossing one over either shoulder. Barry himself grabbed hold of Orlagh’s arms, while his sister took the Gaeilgeoir’s legs. The three unconscious students were carried out of the computer room, and out of sight.

“Where are you taking them?” Niamh asked weakly.

“Don’t worry,” Bláithín reassured her. “You’ll be joining them, as soon as Fryderyk’s ready.”

Éamon stood next to Fionn, towering over the sleeping rugby player. “I think we’ll send this one next.” He gave him a swift kick in the ribs.

“Don’t touch him!” Alex shouted.

“He’ll be fine,” the delinquent told him, delivering another kick. “Fryderyk’ll have a nice, comfy bed waitin’ with a big, soft pillow for him to bite.”

Alex snarled. “Fuck you!”

There was a thumping sound from somewhere behind Nathan, and Alex’s angry protests fell silent. A few minutes later, the door opened once more.

“Bring in the next ones,” Fryderyk called again.

And so it went, for the next hour or so, as more and more of Nathan’s classmates and friends were carried off behind him and through the door he couldn’t see. Everyone’s resilience steadily dwindled during that time, as they collectively realised there was no way of escaping the fate Ultimate Despair had planned for them. Nathan was forced to suffer in silence as his friends were gradually taken away, until only he and James remained.

Shauna surveyed the two boys with some amusement. “Cute,” she snarked. “Just the two not-boyfriends left.”

“Hey,” her brother warned her, “stop trying to pair these two up in your little fantasies. One token gay couple in the group is enough.”

“You did this on purpose,” James hissed. “Leaving us for last.”

Bláithín’s eyes widened in a nigh-flawless impression of innocence. “Who, _us_? Whatever would give you _that_ idea?”

“I _know_ you did!” the Ultimate Liar snapped. “She put you up to it, didn’t she? Just to give me one final glimpse of despair!”

“Well, yeah,” Barry admitted with a shrug. “It’s right there in the name: Ultimate _Despair_.”

Nathan tried one final time. “Just tell us what you’re going to do! What do you have to gain by keeping us in the dark?”

“I’m getting _really_ sick of hearing these questions,” Maria grumbled.

“Then, just tell them,” Mary said dismissively. “What does it even matter if they find out? They’re not going to be able to _tell_ anyone. They’re not even going to remember.”

Nathan stiffened against his binds. “What?”

“You see, Nathan,” Shauna said, “ _we’re_ not going to kill you. True, we’d enjoy it – a lot, in fact – but I’m afraid Mistress has other plans.”

“ _Better_ plans,” Barry supplied, a sinister grin spreading across his face.

“If we kill you right now, who’ll care?” Maria reasoned. “Hardly anyone, that’s who.”

“But Mistress wants despair on a national scale,” Carl continued. “Continental, or perhaps even global.”

“So, in order to do that, we’re going to start our _own_ mutual killing game,” Bláithín said with glee.

James gaped. “No. Oh, God, no.”

“What are they talking about?” Nathan asked him.

“I…I didn’t think she’d seriously go this far,” the Ultimate Liar breathed. “Just to imitate that Enoshima girl.”

Immediately, Bláithín’s saccharine façade melted away. She stepped forward and slapped James hard across the face.

“How _dare_ you speak the name of our Queen!” she howled. “You filthy traitor!”

“What’s a ‘mutual killing game’?” the Ultimate Lucky Student demanded.

“It’s simple,” Barry said. “We take a group of people, usually people who are close or friendly with one another, then we lock them in a confined area. We tell them the only way to escape is to murder one of their companions.”

“Wh-what?!” Nathan exclaimed. “But…we…we’ll never do that! None of us could ever kill one of our friends!”

“We know,” Carl said, with a sad smile. “I’m afraid you’ve grown too close to one another to contemplate murdering each other for survival.”

Maria went on. “Which is why we’re having Fryderyk wipe your memories!”

“None of you will remember a thing about your life in St. Elpis’,” Professor Kavanagh said. “Thus, none of you will value your bonds to each other.”

“And so it won’t be long before the carnage begins,” Barry said, with relish.

“What?!” Nathan yelled. “No! You can’t…you…!”

“It’s already happening,” Bláithín said, her usual smile having returned in full force. “By now, most of your classmates have forgotten everything that transpired over the last two years.”

“J-James!” Nathan pleaded. “Tell me it’s not true! This mutual killing game…it’s all made-up, isn’t it?”

Nathan knew how deluded he must sound to them all. But he didn’t care. All that mattered now was the boy in front of him.

James bowed his head low. “…I wish I could say that, Nate. But that’s one lie I’ll never be able to tell.”

Despair clutched at Nathan’s heart. It was hopeless. One-by-one, his friends would forget about him, until he, too, forgot them in turn. And then they would be forced into a sick game of Ultimate Despair’s devising, with their chances of survival reduced to almost nothing.

But he wouldn’t give in. He’d come too far to give up hope.

The door opened again.

“There’s a problem,” the Ultimate Surgeon said, causing the smiles to slip from the Ultimate Despairs’ faces.

Shauna rolled her eyes and stomped over to the surgeon. They exchanged words that were too quiet for Nathan or James to hear, but they could both see that she was angry. Every once in a while, a few phrases would reach their ears.

“…not much left…process…to administer…”

“Surely…make do…?”

“…risky…running low…serum…”

“Mistress…will be displeased…”

But no matter how hard Nathan strained, he couldn’t hear what the two of them were discussing. Eventually, the Ultimate Technician turned from Fryderyk and forced a smile onto her face.

“Next!” she exclaimed.

“That’s you, Mr. Murphy!” Maria whooped, as Nathan’s chair was lifted up by Tadhg. Nathan’s view of the computer room began to recede as he was carried off.

This was his final chance.

“James!” Nathan cried to his last friend. “I won’t forget! No matter what they do, I’ll remember this! Whatever you do, don’t give in! We’ll meet again on the other side. I promise!”

James’s hopeful expression was blocked from his view as the door slammed shut before his eyes. Tadhg slammed the chair roughly down onto the floor before walking back through the door.

A pale face suddenly appeared before Nathan’s own. A set of watery eyes stared at him through thick glasses.

“Nathan Murphy,” Fryderyk pronounced. “The Ultimate Lucky Student.”

His lips twisted in a bizarre facsimile of a smile.

“Let’s get to work,” he said.

And Nathan knew no more.


	50. Chapter 6: The Sickness unto Death - Part 8

_An Triail Deireanach_  -  The Final Trial

Nathan’s head pounded, and he felt as though a heavy weight was pressing against his forehead. What had happened?

He heard someone nearby calling his name.

“Nate…?! Nathan!”

He heaved himself up off of the podium he had slumped onto, rubbing his aching forehead.

“Wh-what…? What happened?”

“You passed out, man,” James had one arm wrapped around Nathan shoulder, holding him steady. “Scared the shit out of us, too.”

Nathan blinked heavily, his thoughts still a mess. He’d been fighting back against Ultimate Despair with the others in Class 11, and then they’d gotten captured. Ultimate Despair had taken them all and…then what?

Wait, no. That wasn’t right. That had happened…a long time ago. What was happening right now?

He was in a tall, narrow chamber, surrounded by the concerned faces of his friends. Except there were only four of them left. The others were…they were all dead, he realised with a lurch. They were stuck in a mutual killing game, just like James had told him.

It all came flooding back to him – the murders, the trials, the executions…he hadn’t dreamt it. And now he was facing the Final Trial, trying to unmask the mastermind.

Only now, he remembered everything. He had managed to hold onto the last of his memories before Król had erased them, and his recollection of that last day in the school had triggered the rest of them. He knew it now – he was seventeen years old, and he _felt_ it, too.

“Uh, hello?” Monobear’s screechy voice brought him back to the present. “Can we get on with the trial, here? Some of us are busy bears, you know! We can’t afford to wait around here all day for you to take a power nap, Mr. Murphy!”

Nathan nodded, slowly and calmly. “Yes, I’m alright. Let’s continue with the trial.”

James must have seen the difference in how Nathan held himself, or had caught a glimpse of the new look in the Ultimate Lucky Student’s eye, for he said, “Nate, you sure you’re alright? Did…did something happen?”

He nodded. “Yes, James. I…remember now. Everything from before we woke up here has finally come back to me.”

Monobear tutted. “Well, isn’t _that_ convenient? Talk about a _deus ex machina_! Now get on with it!”

“Nathan, what are you talking about?” Aisling asked him.

He saw the mistrust in her eyes, which was matched by the looks Fionn and Niamh were giving him and James. Of course – before he had passed out, they had been accused James of betraying them to Ultimate Despair.

“Lads,” Nathan began, “you need to listen to me. I know you might find it hard to believe me, but James isn’t a traitor. He joined Ultimate Despair because he was trying to save us. And, what’s more, he betrayed them at the end and joined us in our fight.”

Fionn squeezed his eyes shut. “Look, Nathan, I can’t just believe that without any kind of proof. Sorry.”

“You want proof?” Nathan challenged him. “Then ask yourself this: why is James _here_?”

“What d’you mean?” Aisling asked.

“I mean, why is he in this mutual killing game? If he was still in with Ultimate Despair, then you’d think he’d be spectating rather than taking part, right?”

Monobear butted in. “I dunno about that. One of the participants in the second mutual killing game was one of the people who had organised it, along with Lady Enoshima herself. Not even her status as an Ultimate Despair was enough to save her life.”

Nathan could see the doubt flickering in his friends’ eyes, so he said, “Listen. You can either trust me and James, your comrades, or you can put your faith in Monobear. That’s your decision. But I’m in this with you all until the end. Remember that.”

Monobear sighed. “Jeez. You make me sound like some conniving trickster. You _really_ wanna listen to the guy who’s been telling you about some crazy war that took place in this very building?”

“As a matter of fact,” Niamh said, in a quiet voice, “I do.”

Nathan smiled with relief.

“But how do you guy know that Nathan’s telling the truth?” Monobear went on, a grin fixed onto his robotic face. “After all, the only other person who can back up his claims is none other than the Ultimate Liar himself!”

“No,” Niamh said firmly, “that’s wrong. We saw the devastation in the first floor dormitories with our own eyes.”

“With all that blood…” Aisling’s lip curled in anger. “There’s no way that was faked. I believe in Nathan!”

“…Me too.” Fionn said, his mind made up. “Nathan’s a sound lad; he wouldn’t lie to us now, at the very end.”

“Upu?” The bear tilted his head as he regarded the students. “You’re going to believe those two losers? A talentless lunatic and a compulsive liar.”

“Up against a psychotic, murderous, robot bear with one red eye and half a snout?” Niamh smirked. “I think they might just be the lesser of two evils, don’t you?”

“Booo,” Monobear pouted. “Talk about discrimination. Just ‘cos I was born a bear doesn’t make me any less of a person, ya know!”

James smiled. “Alright, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, maybe we can finally get to answering this next question.”

Fionn nodded. “Yeah. We were looking at the lists of students, looking for who the mastermind might be, right?”

“Actually, Fionn,” Nathan said, “I think I may just know who the mastermind really is. And they’re not a student.”

Fionn and Aisling frowned, but James and Niamh understood.

“You think they’re on the staff list, instead?” James opened up the file in question. “Then, all we have to do is check who on this list is in Ultimate Despair and…” He broke off.

“…You alright, James?” Aisling asked.

James gave a hesitant, shaky nod. “Yeah, it’s just…it’s just…”

“Your mother, James,” Nathan said in a low voice, “she was in Ultimate Despair, wasn’t she?”

“Wait, what?!” Fionn cried. “Your ma was in Ultimate Despair, too?!”

“And she was on the school staff?”

“Eva Banville,” Nathan spoke the name aloud, “formerly known as the Ultimate Secretary. She worked here as the school’s secretary, where she would have had access to highly-important information. Furthermore, as one of the top positions on the staff, she would have had a lot of influence over the staff and students.”

James eyes had closed tightly. “Nathan, please.”

“In my memories, I heard the Ultimate Despairs refer to their leader as their ‘Mistress’. In other words, a woman. And when we confronted you, James, you told me that the Mistress was someone you couldn’t refuse. The Ultimate Despair’s Mistress is the one who organised this whole game; it was her idea to imitate Junko Enoshima in starting it. That means the mastermind behind this mutual killing game can only be-”

“Nate, I know.”

Nathan blinked. “You do?”

“Yeah, I…I think I must’ve realised it a long time ago. I had this sneaking suspicion whenever I spoke to Monobear…the things that he’d say and do all gave me this weirdly familiar feeling. And now I know why.

“The mastermind is none other than Eva Banville. My…mother.”

Monobear stiffened, before loosening-up entirely, sagging like a puppet whose strings had been cut. All of a sudden, smoke began billowing out from beneath the podiums, shrouding the courtroom in a thick fog. The five students were entirely unable to see, and so were caught by surprise when a voice called out.

“So, you have unmasked me. Very well. Although I had not anticipated this turn of events, I see no other option but to unveil myself. Behold.”

And the smoke cleared, revealing a slender woman in her early forties, standing where Monobear had been only moments before. Her dark hair was tied up in a bun. She was dressed in a respectable skirt and blouse, and she looked as though she had never dressed-down in her life. Her expression was one of utmost seriousness, and she surveyed the students through her glasses with eyes of piercing green.

“Upupupu,” she said calmly, before pushing up the bridge of her glasses. “My apologies. It seems that old habits die hard. Congratulations. As you have indeed surmised, I am the mastermind behind this mutual killing game. My name is Eva Banville, the former Ultimate Secretary. In the past, I communicated to you through the form known as Monobear. But there is no reason for me to continue doing so, now that my identity is common knowledge.”

James was shaking in an effort to suppress his emotions; happiness at seeing his long-lost mother for the first time in years; sadness at the circumstances under which they had been reunited; catharsis at having finally come face-to-face with the twisted monster that had caused all of this; shame at having his own mother be that same monster, and finally overwhelming rage. Suffice to say, it was difficult for someone who had been dishonest about his true emotions for most of his life to put how he was currently feeling into coherent speech.

Fionn, on the other hand, had no such problems. “You bitch. You sick, twisted bitch.” His face was twisted into a snarl of pure anger. “You’re the reason why we’re here.” He shouted, “You’re the reason why all of our friends are dead!”

“You make it sound as though _I_ was the one who murdered them,” she gazed impassively at the Ultimate Rugby Star. “Perhaps you’re confused? Let me explain – Gráinne Mahon was killed by Deirdre Callaghan, Ellie O’Donaghue was killed by Seán Gleeson, Orlagh McNamara was killed by Alex-”

“Shut the fuck up!” Fionn roared. “You know what I meant! None of them – not _one_ – would’ve killed anyone if you hadn’t forced them into it!”

A slight frown creased the woman’s forehead. “I don’t ever recall _forcing_ anyone to kill anybody. I tempted them, it’s true. But they all took those live of their own accord.”

“That’s bullshit!” Aisling swore. “We remember what you did to Michael to make him kill Ciara – if that’s not forcing someone to commit murder, then what is?!”

But Banville shook her head. “No, no, I didn’t force Mr. Reynolds to do anything. He was given a choice: either murder one of his peers, or lose the woman he loved. He could have chosen either. It was his own decision, ultimately.”

None of the students could believe what they were hearing. Was this person so utterly insane that she could not see how she had coerced their friends into committing betrayal and murder?

“However,” Banville went on, “as for how I forced you all into this mutual killing game, then I am, admittedly, guilty. You see, although the seeds of despair had been well-planted by my foreign peers in Ultimate Despair, we could see it wouldn’t be long before the hold despair had over the world began to loosen. The Future Foundation has been doing their utmost to subvert our efforts around the globe, and the death of our Queen hasn’t helped matters. Thus we decided that we should give the world a ‘shot in the arm’, as it were: another boost of despair that would allow the global populace to succumb once again. That is why you are all here. Class 11 was the only class in the school whose members had not given into despair. It was quite frustrating, actually. Not one of you was able to see just how beautiful a life filled with despair could be. Even my own James, although he had joined our ranks, hadn’t quite been entirely swayed to our side. I had a strong suspicion you would slink back to your cohorts in Class 11, which is why I prepared this mutual killing game to have the entire class as its participants.

“Of course, it had been a private aspiration of mine to mastermind my very own mutual killing game for quite some time. Once word reached us of Lady Enoshima’s death in Japan, I decided to set my plan into motion. I persuaded Professor O’Callaghan to barricade the school (‘in order to protect the students,’ I told him), and when the school had been entirely sealed from the outside world, we launched our attack. It was a violent time, I will admit. There were…unfortunate casualties…”

Aisling hissed.

“…But despair won out, as it always inevitably does. And now, the entire nation has borne witness to the fruits of my endeavours. It really is quite difficult for the average person to imagine the sheer hopelessness of seeing today’s youth resort to slaughter on national television – particularly ones such as yourselves, with such brilliant talent. It’s utterly remarkable.”

A sickening smile pulled at the corners of Eva Banville’s mouth. “And now, if I’m not mistaken, you have answered three of my questions correctly. That only leaves one more. Fortunately for you, this question can be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’: do you wish to leave this place?”

The silence that fell in the courtroom at that moment was deafening.

Fionn was the first to break. His loud and hysterical laugh reverberated around the narrow courtroom.

“You must be fuckin’ jokin’!” he shouted. “You seriously think we’d come this far if we didn’t want to _leave_?!”

“I understand your feelings on this matter,” Banville said in her usual, level voice. “But first, allow me to show you something.”

She reached underneath her podium, and flipped some sort of switch. Immediately, the floor beneath them lurched, and suddenly they were shooting upwards, spiralling towards the ceiling, following the path of the ridges and grooves cut into the walls. If the courtroom was the barrel of a gun, then the floor was a bullet, rocketing upwards and outwards. Just when it seemed like they were going to meet an untimely demise by colliding with the ceiling, it split open just as the foyer wall had done so many times before.  Bright, grey light blinded the students, and they felt something cool and refreshing caress their skin and hair, something they hadn’t felt in an age:

A gust of wind.

The floor-lift came to a halt, with the ceiling of the courtroom sealing shut beneath them. They were now all standing atop a flat, wooden deck, with nearby railings being the only thing stopping anyone from wandering off and falling some sixty feet to the ground below. A single glance at their surroundings was enough to tell them where they were: the rooftop deck of the school.

The clouds above them were heavy and grey, which was to be expected – it was Ireland, after all. But there was something not quite right about these particular clouds; they were too dark and smoky-looking. And the darkness of the clouds seemed to suck all of the colour out of the world around them, leaving everything they saw dismal and grey.

For miles around them, they could see open countryside. In the distance were towns such as Leixlip and Maynooth, and further away still was Dublin City. But there was something off about them, too. Even from this distance, they could see the extent of the damage done to those urban areas; smoke rose from buildings and added to the thick texture of the clouds, and they caught glimpses of fire flickering in and out of view.

“Behold.” Banville’s voice was carried to them on the wind. “This is the outside world you’ve wanted to see so much. Look at how despair has gripped everything you know and love. Is this truly the world you wish to return to?

“You think this is going to scare us?” James challenged her.

She regarded her son coolly. “I’m simply asking you to think, just for a moment. Consider, if you will, how comfortably you’ve all been living for the last few weeks, in the sanctity of St. Elpis’ College.”

Fionn scoffed. “You think we were _comfortable_ in here?! Worrying every day if one of our friends was going to stab us in the back? Being afraid that any day now, we could be killed without any warning?”

“Will all of that fear truly dissipate if you leave these walls?” Banville asked him. “You haven’t had a chance to see just how desperate the average person has become in order to survive this vicious, dog-eat-dog world. Murders and violent attacks have become commonplace. They say you should keep your friends close and your enemies closer; what better way to do that than if you all stay here, under the one roof, instead of having to fight daily for your own survival?

“And, as you have seen for yourselves, there is no shortage of food or other supplies within these walls. Outside, you’ll be required to scavenge for food and other bear- excuse me, _bare_ necessities. In here, you have everything you need, including a warm bed every night. I hope you don’t mind me saying that plenty of people out there would _kill_ for an opportunity such as this.”

“If having to struggle every day to survive is the price of freedom, then it’s one we’re all willing to pay,” Nathan assured her, although some of his companions seemed unusually quiet all of a sudden.

“Then, of course,” Banville continued on, as though she hadn’t heard him, “there’s the matter of whether or not you _deserve_ to leave this place?”

Niamh narrowed her eyes. “Just what do you mean by that?”

“Ah, yes.” Those green eyes scanned the girl who had spoken. “Niamh Clarke, the Ultimate Model. Tell me, Miss Clarke, how does it feel to be so talented in a field you have absolutely no interest in?”

Niamh tensed, but remained silent.

“You never wanted to be a model, did you? You’re an intelligent girl, and I’m sure you viewed the fashion business as nothing more than time-wasting nonsense. And you especially looked down on those who would dedicate their livelihood to it. And yet, when the opportunity came along, you took it. Because you didn’t want to let your poor, dear mother down. You’re nothing more than a hypocrite. And worst of all, if you ever _did_ try to pursue a career in mathematics or science, people would never be able to perceive you as anything more than the pretty face known as the ‘Ultimate Model’. Your talent will stain your reputation for the rest of your life. Why spend your days paying for your mistake in the outside world? In here, everyone already knows you well enough to never judge you. How can you possibly contribute to society with a talent so materialistic?”

Niamh eyes were brimming with tears. She found herself unable to speak.

“What the fuck’s your problem?” Fionn stared at the mastermind with hatred. “Leave her alone!”

“And now we come to Fionn Healey, the Ultimate Rugby Star. Do you _really_ want to go back to your old life in Ballinasloe? Remember the whispers, the taunts, the insults? Not even your own grandparents could tolerate what you are. And I’m sure they’ve all turned Ruán against you by now. It’s been so long since you saw him last, I’m sure he’d barely remember you in the first place. The one meaningful (and I use that word reluctantly) relationship you’ve ever had was with a murderer. And your Ultimate talent – the one thing that you’re good for – is being proficient at a meaningless pastime that nobody has taken part in since the Tragedy began. Fionn, a life outside the school would be meaningless for you. In here, at least, nobody will treat you with scorn and derision for something as uncontrollable as your sexuality.”

Fionn ground his teeth is frustration and anxiety, but otherwise remained entirely silent.

“Hey!” Aisling snapped. “I won’t let you treat my friends this way!”

Banville’s eyes locked onto the boxer. “Aisling Taggart, the Ultimate Boxer. Daughter of parents who had barely any time for you, at least until you showed them your worth as a fighter. Your brothers always stole all of the fame and glory. In fact, nobody paid any attention to you until you became known as the Ultimate Boxer. Suddenly, everyone wanted to know Aisling Taggart. Without your talent, you’re nothing. Not beautiful, not intelligent, not feminine, not _anything_ worth talking about. Anyone who thought more of you, who treated you as someone worthy of their time and affection, is already dead. The closest things you have to loved ones now are the four people you see before you. If you stay here, you’ll be able to stay with them for the rest of your life. Why would you ever want to give that up?”

During Banville’s speech, Aisling’s head had drooped lower and lower, until she couldn’t raise her eyes from the floor beneath her.

Eva Banville sighed wearily as she turned to face her son. “James Banville, the Ultimate Liar. The only son I ever had. And, I can tell you this, what a waste you have turned out to be.”

James made a sound of inexpressible fury, as though he was choking on his own anger.

“There was a time when not a single word that came out of your worthless mouth was true, wasn’t there? Everything you said was just a ploy for attention.”

When James finally spoke, his voice sounded barely human, so consumed was he by rage. “…How would _you_ know? You weren’t even _there_!” The final word was a shout that chilled Nathan to the core.

“True,” she admitted, “but I kept my eye on you nonetheless. I gave birth to you, so you can understand why I had a passing interest in how you lived your life. Tell me something, James. Did you come to this school, knowing that you would be regarded as the Ultimate Liar for the rest of your life, just so you could meet me again?”

He didn’t answer, but Banville smiled as though he had told her everything.

“I suspected as much from our first meeting in the school. You don’t remember it, of course, but I do. And I can honestly say that I have never felt less respect for a student. There has never been a person you’ve interacted with who hasn’t suffered negative consequences for it. Everything you touch turns to ash, as it always has and always will. You’re just as superfluous a being as your father. There’s nothing for you outside this school, or anywhere in the world. You’re better off staying here, with the only semblance of a family you have left.”

Tears were streaming freely down James’s face, his shoulders wracked with sobs, but he never broke eye contact with the woman who had been his mother. Not until she turned to the final student and regarded him with her perpetually-unimpressed gaze.

“And finally, we have Nathan Murphy, the Ultimate Lucky Student. I don’t particularly feel the need to say _anything_ to you. You have no talent, which makes you even more worthless than James. You’re only here today because of pure chance. You had your brief moment of glory today, when a random quirk of fate allowed you to regain all of your memories exactly when you needed to. You’ll never be that lucky ever again, so why bother trying? Your parents have had more time for your younger siblings since they were born, and I doubt your old friends from Wexford ever really even knew who you were. That is, naturally, because you are no one. You’re not important, or interesting in any way. You don’t deserve a life outside these walls. You’re nothing, and you that’s all you ever will be.”

The mastermind’s words cut him deep. He’d never felt so worthless in his life. This was worse than when Ciara died, worse than being thrown into the mutual killing game in the first place, worse than the time he was humiliated by the older students on his school trip. Finally, he had been made perfectly clear just how pointless his existence was. He felt the gnawings of despair close to his heart, and he was so, _so_ tempted just to give in.

“So, I’ll ask once more.” Banville’s voice barely reached his through the haze of shame and despair clouding his mind. “Do you want to leave this place? I’ll require a unanimous decision in order to proceed.”

Nathan knew, then, that this was their last chance. Despair was fighting to control his own heart, and the others were clearly going through the same. In a matter of moments, the despair in them would convince them to say no to the mastermind’s proposal. It was up to him to persuade them otherwise, even as he fought to cling onto that last bit of hope left within him.

He began. “Niamh, I know you’re feeling insecure. You have been for a long time. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for your true self to go so unappreciated for so long. But you are one of the smartest, most brilliant, most… _amazing_ people I’ve ever met in my life. You have such a bright future ahead of you, even now. With that brain of yours, think of all the people you can help if you leave this place. And you shouldn’t feel bad for choosing the path of the Ultimate Model, because, at the end of the day, it was still an important experience for you. And it’s sure as hell not going to ruin your life.”

Niamh’s eyes had dried, and she was looking at the Ultimate Lucky Student with a brand new expression.

“You…you’re right.” She dabbed at her face, cleaning away the tearstains. “I was so determined to hold onto hope before this trial began, but just now I let despair wear me down. I was the one who told everyone not to give into the mastermind, and just look at me now.”

“Sometimes,” Nathan said, “the hardest advice to follow is your own.”

She smiled warmly, and it seemed to light up the world around her. “Maybe, but that’s not going to happen again. And if people ever think of me as being just a pretty face, but it’ll be up to me to prove them wrong. So that’s why I want to leave.”

Relieved that Niamh had found hope once again, Nathan turned to the Ultimate Rugby Star.

“Fionn, you shouldn’t feel ashamed of something so beyond your control – beyond _anyone’s_ control. You’re gay, and there’s nothing you can do about it. So why let other people bother you for it? You know there isn’t anybody out there worth a damn who’ll give you shit about this sort of thing.”

“I wouldn’t be so certain,” Banville interjected. “With the world under the sway of the Tragedy, discrimination and prejudice abound-”

“Shut up,” Nathan commanded her. “Fionn, there’s always going to be prejudice in the world. It’s awful, but it’s life. And if you’re too scared to face up to that by staying in here, that makes you a coward.”

Fionn glared at him, but didn’t interrupt.

“Where’s the Fionn I knew and looked up to? The fella who’d charge through lads twice his size without any fear.” Nathan grinned. “I’ve seen you tackle men who were more like walking fridges than people. If you can do _that_ , you can do anything!”

The rugby star exhaled softly. “I…I remember what you told me a few weeks ago, Nathan.” Fionn had pulled himself back up to his full height. “‘The people who jeer you for likin’ men are just lookin’ for an excuse. If you weren’t gay, they’d find somethin’ else to get on to you about. They do that because they’re stupid cunts who don’t know any better. The world’s full of those kinds of people, and there’s nothin’ we can do about it except tell them to go and fuck themselves.’”

Nathan blinked, feeling a bit sheepish. “Did I really say all of that?”

And Fionn laughed, although the sorrow in his voice was evident. “Yes, you did. And it meant a lot to me. You gave me good advice, and how did I make it up to you? With suspicion and anger. I’ve been a shitty friend to you. And James, too, who was there for me when I needed it most.” He shook his head. “But that stops right now. I can’t believe I nearly fell for the mastermind’s trap, after everythin’. After Alex sacrificed himself so that we could find a way out of here. What a terrible way to honour his memory.” He met Nathan’s eye. “I'm gettin’ out of this shithole of a school. I’m goin’ to find Ruán. In fact, I’m goin’ to search all over this goddamn country until I find my family again.”

“I’ll go with you,” the Ultimate Lucky Student vowed. “We’ll look for them together. I promise.

“And the same goes for you, Aisling,” he went on. “You’re one of the bravest and most confident people I’ve ever met. You’re strong, and not just in terms of physical strength. You’re the Ultimate Boxer, but that’s not all. You’re a good friend, and probably the most honest person I know. Anyone who’d try to define you entirely by your talent is just being shallow. Those kinds of people aren’t worthy of your time, believe me. And I know that you’re still upset over the people you’ve lost – hell, so am I. But as each day goes by, it only gets easier. You stay here for the rest of your life, and you’re going to be reminded every day of what you lost. By leaving, you can move on with your life, and grow. I care a lot about you, Ash. I don’t want to see you fall here.”

Aisling’s head had tilted back up until she was maintaining eye contact with him. Slowly, a small smile crept across her lips.

“I should’ve realised before now. Whenever I thought about John, or Ryan, I was just dwelling on the past – something entirely out of my reach. I was just indulging myself; I was being selfish.”

“It’s okay to grieve,” Nathan told her gently. “You shouldn’t feel bad about that.”

“But it’s not okay if it gets in the way of my life too much. Which is exactly what I’ve let happen. God, I’m supposed to be the _cheerful_ one! And yet there I was, depressing everyone around me.”

“You’re not ‘supposed’ to be anything like that. You can be whoever you choose to be.”

She grinned. “Well, in that case, I’m going to _choose_ to live out my life to the fullest. And that means leaving this place behind me for good! I’m done with moping around and feeling sorry for myself. I’m going to remember my loved ones by fighting for the future!”

The only student left in despair now was James, but even he had looked up from his podium, and was staring at Nathan with a familiar look in his green eyes.

“And James, you need to realise that you’re better than you think you are. For too long, you’ve let the title of Ultimate Liar hold you back from the person you really are. You said it yourself that you’re finished with all of the lying, so why are you letting this woman you barely even know tell you what you are? What right does _she_ have to dictate your existence? She gave up that privilege the moment she abandoned you all those years ago. You’ve spent your whole life since trying to escape her shadow in various ways. And now you’re just going to allow her to tear you apart again? That’s not the James Banville that I know.”

“If I may interject-”

“No, you may not,” Nathan told her, before turning back to her son. “Remember when I told you not to define yourself by a title that somebody else gave you? You don’t have to be the Ultimate Liar, or the Ultimate All-Rounder, or Ultimate _anything_. You are who you choose to be, James. So choose.”

James shook his head in amusement. “You know, Nate, somewhere along the way, you became better at giving these inspiring speeches than me.”

“I learned from the best.”

James chuckled. “Maybe so. But your words got through to me anyway. I can’t believe _I’m_ the one who had to be pulled out of despair with a rousing speech. Talk about a role-reversal.”

He turned to face the mastermind, without a trace of fear in his expression. “You know, I have barely any memories of you from my childhood, seeing as you left so early. And since I still can’t remember most of my time spent in St. Elpis’ College, I suppose I’ve been waiting my entire life up until today to finally meet you - my own mother.”

Banville’s eyes were as cold and unimpressed as ever. “And your point is…?”

“Well, I guess I’m just trying to say that I’ve never been so disappointed in my life.”

There was a slight incline of her head that resembled a nod, before the mastermind said, “Very well. I believe that you have all made your decision?”

“Unanimously,” Nathan answered her. “We’re leaving this place.”

Banville tried one last time. “Are you entirely certain? I don’t want you all to feel the despair of regret you’ll soon feel once you leave this golden opportunity behind.”

“Just leave it,” Fionn ordered her. “We’re going.”

“I don’t want to spend another minute in this place,” Aisling agreed.

“I don’t think we have anything more to say to you about this,” James said coldly.

“We’ve answered all of your questions,” Niamh reminded the mastermind. “Your ‘game’ is over. We’re leaving.”

For a moment, Banville held their steely gazes one-by-one, searching for any trace of weakness that she could exploit. But, for once in her lifetime, her all-seeing eyes had failed her.

She sighed. “Very well. You may leave.”

Banville pressed the button underneath her podium once more, and the floor sank back down into the courtroom, leaving the darkened sky behind them.

As they descended one last time into the depths of the school, Banville regarded Nathan with some degree of curiosity. “How intriguing. I never thought that _you_ , of all people, would be the one to defeat me by clinging onto hope. You’re so unexceptional in every way. If anything, I expected _James_ to be the one to challenge me. That’s the reason why I always tried to belittle and discredit him at every turn. It seems that it really _is_ a blessing to be the Ultimate Lucky Student.” A conniving smile split her face. “Although, since you were able to overcome my power as an Ultimate Despair, perhaps you require a new title? Nathan Murphy – the Ultimate Hope.”

“You can take that title and shove it up your hole,” Nathan told her. “I’ve said it already: I’m not going to let myself be defined by a title someone else has given me. If you think I’ll just up and accept praise from someone like you, well, you’ve got that wrong. In fact, I don’t think I really _need_ a title at all. I’m Nathan Murphy. What else needs to be said?”

She blinked, surprise temporarily washing over her expression, before she resumed her professional-like mask. “I see. You certainly _are_ an intriguing person, Mr. Murphy.”

He scoffed. “Surprisingly, that doesn’t mean much coming from _you_.”

One corner of her mouth twisted in amusement, but she remained silent as until the lift finally returned to its original position on the chamber floor.

“Now, then,” she said, “you are free to leave the premises whenever you wish. You may choose to leave immediately, if you so desire. But once you step foot outside these walls, you can never return.”

“That’s fine by me,” Fionn said. “I couldn’t care less about St. Elpis’ anymore.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Aisling added.

Niamh glanced at the courtroom doors. “In fact, I’d quite like to leave right now, if everyone is okay with that?”

There was a small chorus of agreement from the other students, and so the mastermind said, “Then I shall open the door for you. Please return to the foyer.”

Nathan filed out behind the others, only to turn around once he realised that James had lingered behind.

“James?”

He waved a hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll follow youse out. Just give me a minute, alright?”

Nathan nodded, although a frown was present on his face. Together with Fionn, Aisling and Niamh, he marched out of the courtroom and began to climb the steps back up to the foyer.

Finally, James had been left alone with the mastermind. He stared intently into those eyes that so matched his own.

“Is this your way of saying goodbye?” she asked him.

James shrugged. “Could be. I really just couldn’t leave without admitting to you how much I despise you.”

“How remarkably petty.”

“You’re probably right.”

Although he was no Ultimate All-Rounder, James was still no slouch when it came to speed. As such, Banville had little time to react as her son crossed the distance between them, one hand lunging for her throat. Wrapping his fingers tightly around her neck, James lifted his mother off of the floor, choking the life from her. Flecks of spittle splashed onto his wrist, but he didn’t let go or loosen his grip, even as her arms flailed and her legs kicked wildly.

Eva Banville’s mouth opened. “S-such despair,” she gurgled.

And just like that, James dropped her. She fell to the floor, gasping for air, clutching her injured neck, where bruises were already starting to form. It took her a long time before she was able to speak.

“You’re…weak…”

“Not weak,” he corrected her. “I just know the value of a human life. Unlike you. Killing you – although it would be very, _very_ easy – won’t solve anything in the long run.”

“Is that…what you think? I am…Ultimate Despair; I’ve dedicated…my life to seeing the world fall…into chaos and ruin. Do you really think…that I won’t cause any more trouble in the future?”

“Yes, I do. In fact, I know it won’t be long before the Future Foundation arrives here. That’s why you tried to speed up this mutual killing game’s progress, isn’t it? The reason why you had Michael, your own spy, resort to murder. The reason why you called for the Final Trial in the first place. You’re running out of time. I don’t think you’ll be causing problems for anyone other than yourself in the foreseeable future.”

He watched as she got to her feet, and he added, “Anyway, I honestly don’t see you as being _worth_ killing. You’re so consumed by despair that it’s become the purpose of your very existence. That’s barely even living at all. Killing you wouldn’t make a difference.” He stepped back from her. “I’ll be going, now.”

Banville glared at him, and for the first time, her expression was one of anger.

“You are _not_ my son,” she hissed.

“I know,” he told her, as he turned away from the mastermind. “You made that clear a very long time ago.”

The doors of the courtroom slammed shut behind him.

 

*** 

 

After waiting in the foyer for what seemed like hours, the four of them heard James’ footsteps echoing from the stairs below. They smiled fondly as he crested the top of the steps and joined them at last.

“Is everything alright?” he asked them.

Nathan shared a glance with the others. “Well, we were just wondering the same about _you_?”

James Banville smiled, and he dismissed their worries with a wave of his hand. “I’m fine, honestly. We’re finally getting out of here. This is what we’ve been waiting for all this time.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Nathan muttered, to a round of laughter.

“And here I thought you had gotten rid of all that cynicism.” Niamh giggled.

Despite himself, Nathan laughed along with them. “Now that I don’t have to make any more corny speeches about hope, it’s all coming back to me.”

And they laughed and laughed, as though all of their troubles and strife had just been magicked away. They knew, of course, that many of their troubles were just beginning. But now, hope burned brightly in their hearts. Whatever the future may hold, they would face it all together.

There was a loud, heaving sound of metal as the great door that had sealed them into the school began to move, swinging wide open and filling the foyer with a wondrous light. They all turned to face the door as it unveiled the exit, revealing to them a stone path, surrounded on either side by trees and shrubs. In the distance, they could see a set of massive, iron gates. And beyond that, lay the outside world they had longed for for so long.

 _It all begins today,_ Nathan thought.

Nathan felt a soft hand slip into his, and he glanced to his left to see Niamh there, smiling warmly at him. And then someone was gripping his right hand – James. On the far side of James was Fionn, and past him, Aisling. They were all holding each other hands, standing together in unity and harmony.

As one, they stepped out of St. Elpis’ College, and into the open air. The great, steel door sealed shut behind them with a resounding boom.


	51. Epilogue: Eternal Decision

All ideas, theories and revolutions have to start somewhere. Nathan wondered, as his legs dangled over the edge of the cliff, where the idea of hope had first originated.

Did hope exist before despair? Or was it the other way around? Maybe they had just both blossomed into human thought at the same time, existing from the start as dual concepts? _Dóchas_ and _éadóchas_. Even the words sounded the same, at least in Irish.

He knew it was pointless and fruitless to even think about these sorts of things. After all, he was no philosopher, and there was little use dwelling on concepts as vague as hope and despair. But his thought seemed to linger, almost subconsciously, on the changes the world had undergone in the last few years. Civilisation had been progressing so quickly, only for the will of a handful of people to tear it all down. And it had all been, supposedly, for the sake of ‘despair’.

But, looking at the world as he saw it at that moment – a sheer cliff face that stood proudly over the waves, stubbornly resisting the strength of the tireless seas – he began to wonder how much had really changed at all. The mountains were still there, cutting the clouds with their pointed peaks. The Irish Sea still churned far beneath his feet. As far away from the big cities as they were, he could almost pretend that the air was still as clean as it had been before the Tragedy began. It seemed that, no matter how hard humanity tried, there were just some things that would never, and _could_ never, change.

Nathan heard the footsteps behind him, but he didn’t turn to look as someone tall and broad sat down behind him. The two of them sat on the edge for a while, listening to the breeze, before either of them spoke.

“You sit here a lot,” Fionn commented.

“Is that alright?”

Fionn blew air out through his nose, almost like a sigh. “It’s not a problem, really. It’s just…we kind of wonder what’s botherin’ you, you know?”

“It’s not that anything’s _bothering_ me,” Nathan said. “It’s just…” He paused. “When I look at everything around us right now, I kind of wonder how any of us are going to make a difference.”

Fionn didn’t know what to say to that. They sat in silence for another few minutes.

It had been slightly less than a month since their escape from St. Elpis’ College. As soon as they had left the school, they had headed east, moving towards the capital city. The scale and extent of the devastation caused by the Tragedy had been worse than they had imagined, but they pressed on regardless. After Dublin, they travelled south, following the coastline. They five of them had decided that, since Nathan’s hometown was the closest, they would all start there. But their journey was slow going: every day was a struggle to scavenge food from abandoned shops and homes. Just last week, they had passed though the blasted ghost town that used to be known as Bray – Ryan’s hometown. That hadn’t been an easy time for any of them. But it seemed that, the further away they moved from urban areas, the smaller the scale of the destruction. The mountains of Wicklow had hardly been touched at all by the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history. Fionn noticed this, and picked up on what Nathan was saying.

“I suppose when you see all _this_ ,” he gestured to the peaks behind them, “it’s a bit intimidatin’. These mountains are goin’ to be here long after we’re gone.” Fionn smiled fondly. “But, to be honest, I think it’s good to know that there are some things that not even Ultimate Despair can fuck up.”

Slowly, Nathan nodded. “I understand. I should look on the bright side. All of you have taught me that.”

Fionn let out a quiet laugh. “If anythin’, Nathan, you taught _us_ that.”

The comforting silence that followed their little discussion was broken by a shout from nearby.

“Lads!” Aisling cried. “Come here, quick!”

The two men shared a glance, and immediately leaped to their feet, sprinting over to their campsite, underneath an outcropping of rock that provided shelter from the frequent bouts of acid rain. There, they found Aisling, James and Niamh, all sitting around a single, black object that was emitting an incessant buzzing sound.

Nathan came to a halt when he reached them and he realised what the object was. “Is that…the phone we got in town a few days ago?”

James nodded. “It just started ringing a minute ago.”

Nathan frowned deeply. “But…that makes no sense! Aren’t all the mobile networks down?”

They had tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to make contact with their families via telephone. They had made do by stealing mobile phones from wherever they could. However, electricity was scarce, and the phones usually ran out of charge in less than a day. They’d been through nearly a dozen since Dublin.

“Who _cares_?!” Aisling cried. “Answer it!”

Reluctantly, James picked up the phone, pressed a few buttons, and then set it back down on the ground.

There was a moment’s silence, before a voice spoke through the phone’s speaker.

“Hello?”

Nathan could hear his heart pounding in his ears. The others were sharing glances, unable to believe their luck in finally making contact with someone.

The voice spoke again. “Hello? May I ask who I am speaking to?”

The voice was distinctly male, and also accented. The voice seemed to speak of a mishmash of different cultures, but it was somewhat clear that English was not the speaker’s first language. Nonetheless, the person’s tone was obviously refined and cultured.

“ _You_ rang us,” James pointed out. “I think it’s more polite to introduce yourself, first.”

There was a moment’s hesitation on the other end of the line, before the speaker said, “Of course. My name is Togami. Byakuya Togami.”

The name was foreign to their ears, but Niamh must have recognised the name, for she spoke up.

“Have you, by any chance, some connection to the Togami Corporation?”

When Togami spoke again, there was a hint of a smile in his voice. “Perhaps. Currently, though, I am working with the organisation known as the Future Foundation. I believe you may have heard of us?”

James frowned in suspicion. “…We have. Does that mean you know who we are?”

“Well, unless I’m mistaken, I believe that I am speaking to…” There was a pause, before Togami said, “James Banville, Niamh Clarke, Fionn Healey, Nathan Murphy and Aisling Taggart. Is that right? Or do I have the wrong number?”

He had had some difficulty pronouncing the names, but it was clear who he was referring to.

“…That’s correct,” James informed him. “So you know who we are. Were you watching us participate in the mutual killing game?”

“We received a transmission several weeks ago,” Togami explained. “A television broadcast from the Republic of Ireland. We recognised it immediately as a mutual killing game. We have, shall we say, some experience dealing with this sort of thing.”

The man’s smug tone was starting to grate on Nathan’s nerves. He could see that James was also having trouble keeping his voice even.

“If you knew what we were going through, then how come you didn’t try to intervene? We nearly _died_ in that place, and we lost many of our friends along the way.”

“I’m afraid that we didn’t pick up any transmissions from your country until close to the end of the mutual killing game. By the time we were able to begin triangulating the broadcasting location, the Final Trial was already underway.” There was a deliberate pause, before he said, “As a matter of interest, we were able to investigate the site of the killing game a few days ago. We found a dead body inside the building – a woman. She had apparently starved to death, although our examination of the food storage units informed us that there was enough rations there to last for longer than her lifetime.”

The tone of Togami’s voice was enough to tell them that he understood the significance of the corpse. James nodded, despite the fact that he knew Togami couldn’t see him.

“Thank you for telling us this. But, can we ask why the Future Foundation was only able to investigate the school so recently?”

“I’m afraid the Future Foundation has been dealing with a surge of Ultimate Despair activities in mainland Europe for the last several months. This has made it difficult to focus our efforts elsewhere.”

“So, really, you’re just incompetent. Is that what you’re saying?”

The others turned their gaze on Nathan, but he continued glaring at the phone.

Togami was silent for a moment. “The person who spoke just now…was that Nathan Murphy, the Ultimate Lucky Student?”

“It’s _just_ Nathan Murphy, actually.”

There was a sound that could have been a quiet laugh. “Of course. Mr. Murphy, I will be as frank with you as I can. If it were up to me and several of my colleagues, we would have tracked down your location as soon as we received the transmission. Furthermore, we would have operatives in every country around the world, working to avoid this very thing from happening.” Another sound, this one closer to a sigh. “However, my colleagues and I are…in a difficult position within the foundation. There was an incident several months ago that has caused some amount of friction between us and the higher-ups of the organisation. Truthfully, I shouldn’t even be having this conversation with you. Fortunately for all of us, I still have some level of influence within the foundation.” Again, the smile was evident in his voice.

“So why, exactly, are you making contact with us, Mr. Togami?” Niamh asked.

“I am a businessman first and a philanthropist second,” he explained, his voice taking on a grandiose edge. “As such, I have a proposition for you. I believe I mentioned earlier that, if I had my way, I would have Future Foundation operatives working all around the world?”

“You want us to work for you,” James guessed.

“Not for _me_ ,” Togami corrected him, “but for the foundation. We’re quite certain that there is still a significant Ultimate Despair presence in the Republic of Ireland. With your help, this presence could be eliminated entirely, and we could finally get to work on restoring your country to its old self.”

There were numerous silent glances shared between the five former students.

Niamh was the first to speak. “Could we…have a moment to discuss this in private?”

“Of course.”

James carefully placed a hand over the bottom half of the phone, before looking up at his friends.

“Well? What do youse think?”

“I’m not a huge fan of this _Toe-gammy_ fella,” Aisling admitted. “But, if Ultimate Despair are still hanging around the place, we should at least lend a hand in getting rid of them, shouldn’t we?”

Nathan felt that this was it – the opportunity he’d been waiting for; this was their chance to actually make a difference. They could help people, instead of only ever helping themselves. But it sounded too good to be true. And he already had other obligations.

“Do we have time to do the Future Foundation’s work for them, though?” Nathan sat down on the ground in front of the phone.

“Well, what else would you be doing?” she shot back.

Nathan eyed Fionn. “I made a promise.”

Fionn blinked in surprise, but grimaced. “I know how you feel, man, but that’s no reason not to help these people. I think they’re doin’ their best, you know? They’re tryin’ to get rid of Ultimate Despair – how bad could they be, sure?” he reasoned, with a shrug.

“The enemy of our enemy may not necessarily be our friend,” Niamh mused.

James kneaded his forehead with his free hand. “I can tell we might need to talk about this a bit more.” He gave a half-chuckle. “Do you think we can ask Togami to ring us back?”

Although he had only been somewhat joking, the other laughed and smiled along with him.

“Alright then,” James said, and he lifted his hand from the phone. “Mr. Togami, I’m afraid we’ll need to discuss this proposal at length amongst ourselves.”

“That’s perfectly understandable,” Togami replied. “I shall contact you again soon.”

“Eh, sorry, but we probably won’t be usin’ the same phone by then,” Fionn told him, embarrassment plain on his face and in his words.

“That isn’t a problem. We have been tracking you via satellite for the last few days by studying the cellular phones you have been acquiring and using.”

Nathan gaped. “How are you managing to do _that_?”

“I’m Byakuya Togami,” he said, as though that was all the response they needed. “Needless to say, then, that we’ll be able to contact you once again when we need to.”

James sighed, but gave a little smile as he did. “Fantastic. Thank you, Mr. Togami.”

“You are welcome.”

There was a pause, and the five teenagers savoured the last few moments before they would be alone once again. It was a bittersweet moment; although they would be losing contact with a new acquaintance, this phone call had been the start of a new journey for them. A journey filled with hope, that could lead to a shining future.

“We’ll be in touch,” Togami said, and the line went dead.


	52. Author's Note

Well, well. Well, well, well, well, well. It’s been a long road. I wasn’t entirely certain I would even make it this far.

The work you have just read, _Dangan Ronpa: (Éa)Dochas_ , is not only the first fanfic I have written to completion, but also the first _full-length_ _story_ I have ever written to completion. And, at least from my point of view, it shows. There are character arcs that don’t really go anywhere, one or two _deus ex machina_ s and several of the characters I wrote for the fic are barely more than one-dimensional (here’s looking at you, Deirdre).

You see, I have a problem that is typical of many writers: I’ll start a story, full of drive and passion, and then run out of steam roughly halfway through. Hell, there was even a danger of that happening with _this_ story, and I have a nasty feeling that chapters 4, 5 and even parts of 6 suffered for it. On the bright side, all of this has been both a fun and educational experience for my writing career. I hope you had as much fun reading it as I did writing it!

So what inspired me to write this fic? Well, I was introduced to Dangan Ronpa the same way most people were – via orenronen’s Let’s Play of the series. This was during the summer of 2014, and I quickly fell in love with the series due to its clever writing, twist-driven plot and particularly in its sheer variety of characters, with each of them having their own identities. It wasn’t long before I discovered the _Fangan Ronpa_ phenomenon on AO3, and I was particularly sucked into SarcasticProductions’ _Fangan Ronpa: Universal Despair Sale_ (which has since been taken off the site. [You can find it here instead](http://price-of-success.tumblr.com/uds)). That fic is what ultimately inspired me to write my own take on the Dangan Ronpa formula, and indeed I have included a few nods to that fanfic in _(Éa)Dochas_. I chose to set the story in my home country, Ireland, for much the same reasons that SarcasticProductions set his in the USA. Of course, I was at disadvantage from the start for this reason; Ireland doesn’t really have a thriving Dangan Ronpa fanbase who would understand both the references to the series and to Irish culture. I was so worried about this that I even added a glossary of terms to some of the chapters so that the viewers would understand what I meant by terms like “GAA head” or “gaeilgeoir”!

One of my favourite moments in Dangan Ronpa 2 was the Chapter 0 cutscene, which acted as a flashback to before the start of the game’s events, and foreshadowed many of the late-game plot twists. Naturally, I had to do my own spin on this idea, leading to the Chapter 0 you read in _(Éa)Dochas_.

The first thing I did when planning the story was come up with the sixteen Ultimate titles used for the characters in the mutual killing game. I had so much fun doing this that I even had a few left over, some of which eventually made it into the class lists found in Chapter 6. Then came the character’s names, and I ended up writing out the ‘death list’ (who kills whom, and in which chapter) before I even really had an idea of what these character’s personalities would be. Some of the characters have a special reasoning behind their names (such as ‘Nathan Murphy’ being the most generic Irish name I could think of, while ‘Jack Jones’ sounded to me like a name someone could just make up on the spot), but others don’t.

I considered taking different ideas with the story than what I eventually went with. For example, I considered killing off our Ultimate Lucky Student in Chapter 5 instead of Ciara, however I decided against it. The story is about Nathan’s growth as a character, at least in part, and I had some interesting stuff planned for him in Chapter 6 that I enjoyed too much to miss out on.

Some of the weakest parts of the story for me were the investigations and how they tied into the School Trials. I never really felt like I could come up with a gripping murder mystery, and it often seemed to me like the killer in each case was obvious. While the School Trials were important for closure on certain character arcs, some of them still ended up less impactful than I had hoped.

I have always loved stories with an ensemble cast – ones that feature a large amount of characters coming together with equal focus – which was a big part of why I enjoyed Dangan Ronpa so much, and why I enjoyed writing this fic. I had different feelings on different characters, however, and I even made out a list, once I had finished, of where the characters fell on my list of favourites:

  1. Fionn Healey – I wasn’t certain how much the big, tough character with a soft centre would appeal to me until I started writing him. His relationship with Alex ended up being one of the strongest, in my opinion, which only made me enjoy his character more. And he was the only character who had any real issues with their sexuality, which made him more relatable in my eyes.
  2. James Banville – He’s probably the most complex character of the bunch. His struggle with his ‘addiction’, and the shame that came with it was something that I enjoyed depicting throughout the final few chapters. And his connection to the mastermind made for some heavy-hitting drama in Chapter 6.
  3. Alex Coleman – Given that he had the Ultimate talent closest to my heart, it was no wonder I enjoyed writing Alex. He ended up being surprisingly complex, despite pretty much starting off as a typical nerdy scientist. I’m sure he lost sympathy points with a few readers, though, for his murder of Orlagh. But the second half of the third trial, for me, was one of the high points of the fanfic, largely due to this guy.
  4. Niamh Clarke – She ended up being the real heroine of the story. I was surprised by how much I grew to like her, despite her meek beginnings. I didn’t think her development was as pronounced as Nathan’s, but I feel like she made for a stronger character all around.
  5. Ryan Jackson – Ryan had a lot of energy, which made him fun to write. True, he was also a bit of a creep, but that only made him stand out a bit more from the crowd. His relationship with Aisling was one of the more interesting ones, because I hadn’t initially planned anything for the two of them. Of course, it ended up all being for naught, anyway. His breakdown in Chapter 4 also ended up being one of the more tragic ones.
  6. Nathan Murphy – He started off just a little too generic for my liking. I probably made him too much of a standard DR protagonist, but his eventual development into the minor badass we see in Chapter 6 was fun to experience.
  7. Aisling Taggart – I had a plan for her as this sort of happy-go-lucky energetic female character, only for her to go through a lot of trauma throughout the story, particularly from Chapter 4 onwards. As a result, she spent a lot of time moping and being sad. In the end, that probably only strengthened her as a character, though.
  8. Ciara Maguire – A character I really wish I had done more with. Once all was said and done, her relationship with Nathan wasn’t particularly interesting. Her support of the group in trying times, though, endeared me to her a bit more.
  9. Aidan Collins – He was a bit too _ordinary_. We have all these vivid personalities abounding in St. Elpis’, and here’s this guy who’s always so chill. It was fun to see his friendship was Ryan develop, though.
  10. Gráinne Mahon – Her relationship with Jack/James was actually quite spontaneous. I enjoyed the way the characters interacted with each other, even though I knew from the start that Gráinne would have an early doom, so I had them get together. I doubt I could have done more with the character if I had let her live past the first chapter, though.
  11. Michael Reynolds – He was a goody two-shoes until he turned out not to be. I never really developed him much until the fifth trial, which was probably a bit too late. Still, he received probably the most unhappy ending of all the characters, which is saying something. I can’t say that I didn’t feel sorry for him.
  12. Seán Gleeson – I regret making Seán into a negative stereotype of a character, which is the main reason why I enjoyed developing him a bit more in Chapter 0. By that point, though, I think he was pretty much beyond redemption.
  13. Ellie O’Donaghue – Another stereotype! Although, unlike Seán, she had some spark of decency inside her, it never really amounted to anything before her death.
  14. Louise Smythe – Although her relationship with Niamh gave her some development, that was all pretty much made irrelevant by her breakdown during the fourth trial. Even before then, I never really did much with her character. She was like a more tolerable version of Deirdre. Speaking of which…
  15. Deirdre Callaghan – Another smarmy character! I was glad to get her out of the way early, seeing as she hadn’t much of a purpose in the plot outside of bitchiness.
  16. Orlagh McNamara – Yeah, not much of a surprise. I tried to give her some entertaining dialogue in Chapter 3, but her character never really seemed to go anywhere. It’s telling that, when I went out of my way to develop characters like Seán in Chapter 0, the Ultimate Gaeilgeoir received little focus and pretty much stayed the same. Oh, well!



 

Well, now that I’ve said all that I needed to say on this fic, what does the future hold for this story? Well, although I left the ending very open-ended (particularly after the epilogue), I have no plans to write a direct sequel to this fic. I’ve told the story I wanted to tell, and I feel like the characters have had their time in the sun. So I don’t see any chance of continuing this story. However, I am planning a spin-off of sorts, starring a new cast of characters in a different location. Just what will it entail?

Well, you’ll just have to wait to find out!

-      CG


End file.
